Rail travelers across India faced disruption as the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website and mobile app went down, causing chaos during the crucial Tatkal ticket booking window. This IRCTC outage, which marks the second major disruption in December alone, left thousands of passengers frustrated, unable to book tickets during the peak hours.
IRCTC Outage: Maintenance Halts Ticket Bookings
The IRCTC website, which serves as the primary portal for online ticket bookings for Indian Railways, went offline just before the vital Tatkal booking window opened. According to outage-tracking platform Downdetector, around 2,500 users reported issues with accessing the site at approximately 10:25 am IST.
This was a critical time for travelers, as it coincided with the 10 AM window for AC class bookings and the 11 AM slot for non-AC class tickets, both of which see the highest demand for Tatkal tickets, reported ABP LIVE.
The website’s failure to function during this peak period left many travelers unable to book their tickets, causing widespread frustration. The IRCTC system displayed a message indicating that the e-ticketing service was unavailable due to “maintenance activity,” prompting customers to try again later.
IRCTC Website Maintenance: A Recurrent Issue
This isn’t the first time this month that passengers have faced such issues. On December 9, a similar outage occurred, again attributed to maintenance activities. Despite the frequent disruptions, IRCTC has yet to release an official statement explaining the cause of these outages. However, the corporation has advised users to reach out to their customer care team for assistance during such downtime. Travelers were encouraged to call the following customer care numbers: 14646, 08044647999, and 08035734999, or email their concerns to [email protected] for resolutions.
Social Media Reactions: Customers Express Frustration
The IRCTC outage quickly became a trending topic on social media, with users expressing their anger and disappointment. Many took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their frustrations, some even tagging Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Prime Minister’s Office in their posts. The frustration was particularly high among those who rely on the Tatkal ticket system, which allows travelers to book tickets just a day before their journey. The timing of the IRCTC outage, which occurred during the prime booking hours, only added to the anger.
One user posted, “How can IRCTC website go down during tatkal timings??? Why are we even bothering about building a bullet train when we can’t even build a functioning website??” Another user commented, “It is 10:11 am… still IRCTC is not opening. IRCTC should be investigated, there are definitely scams happening. By the time it opens, all the tickets are gone!”
The anger was not just about the inconvenience but also the sense of a system failure. A user stated, “Please leave this business, you guys are not capable. Hire better talent or privatize the whole thing.” Another tweet pointed out, “India is the largest IT hub in the world, yet it cannot fix a website. You collect taxes but fail to provide proper services in return. What a shame!”
As the IRCTC outage continued, more posts expressed disillusionment with the system. One user wrote, “Still opening… @RailMinIndia Seriously, the most incompetent department. They brag about new projects but can’t stabilize the reservation system. Utterly disappointed.” Others complained that once the website was operational again, only premium-priced tickets were available, often at double the regular rates.
Concerns About Manipulation of Ticket Booking System
The prolonged outage also raised concerns about the integrity of the ticket booking system. Several social media users alleged that once the website resumed functioning, tickets were quickly booked at inflated prices. Some accused those with insider access of booking tickets during downtime and reselling them at higher rates, further exacerbating the frustration among regular passengers.
One frustrated traveler shared their experience, saying, “I was trying to book a ticket, and the website crashed showing a ‘maintenance’ message. Every day, the website fails to respond at 10 AM, and when it finally opens, all the tickets are booked. Who is getting access and booking these tickets?”
Alternative Solutions for Ticket Cancellations
For passengers who were affected by the outage and needed to cancel their tickets, IRCTC provided alternative methods. They were advised to either call the customer care numbers provided earlier or email their ticket details to [email protected] for a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR). This would allow them to process refunds or cancel bookings that were impacted by the downtime.
What’s Next for IRCTC?
The repeated outages of the IRCTC website raise questions about the reliability and stability of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s online systems. Passengers have called for improvements in the platform’s infrastructure and better handling of maintenance schedules to prevent such disruptions from affecting ticket bookings in the future.
The IRCTC website’s outage on Thursday morning, particularly during the critical Tatkal booking window, left travelers angry and disappointed. As the IRCTC team works to resolve the issue, many are hoping for a more stable and efficient ticketing experience in the future. Until then, customers continue to face the challenges of frequent disruptions, leading to ongoing calls for better management of the IRCTC website and the overall ticket booking process.
