Kochi: Try reserving seats in mainline trains months in advance. If disappointed, there are more chances you could book them through the ‘tatkal’ scheme. The only issue is that the uncertainty would last till the end.
Presently about 30-45 per cent of the available berths in each train is allocated under the tatkal scheme. As a result the number of general waitlist passengers becomes very high within a short period, creating a false impression that all mainline trains are full.
For instance, Train No 16042 Alappuzha-Chennai Express has 301 seats allotted under the tatkal scheme while that for the Mangala-Lakshadweep Express (T No 12617) is 306 seats. These seats can be booked only a day before the scheduled journey through the tatkal scheme.
Especially during off-season, the demand for tatkal tickets fall, resulting in the trains running with empty seats even while the general waiting list commuters are forced to postpone their date of journey or resort to other travel modes.
“Passengers cannot wait for the tatkal ticket till the last moment, especially those travelling with family, having no option to book their return tickets. The railways should study whether the full quota of tatkal tickets are being used during offseason.
We really would like to see less seats under the tatkal scheme and more open reservation ones during offseason periods,” said Paul K J Manvettom, President of All Kerala Railway Users’ Association.
Under the tatkal scheme, a passenger is required to pay some extra money, over and above the regular fare, and this obviously fattens the income of the railways. The revised Tatkal charges have come into effect from April last.
The ‘tatkal’ charge is 10 percent of the basic fare for reserved second class sitting and 30 percent of basic fare for all other classes. Minimum Tatkal charges /Maximum Tatkal charge for each class is as follows. Reserved second sitting: Rs 10/15; Sleeper: Rs 90/175; AC Chair car: Rs 100/200; AC 3tier: Rs 250/350; AC 2 tier and above: Rs 300/ 400.
“I work in Bangalore and occasionally visit my native home in Kerala. On many occasions though I pre-plan my journey and book the tickets one-to-two months in advance. But I was always in the waiting list. Then I started taking tatkal tickets and was never disappointed.
Even last Saturday I was successful booking them online. I logged in by 9.45 am and successfully booked the tickets by 10.15 am. Then also it showed over 200 seats vacant,” said Rejoy Leen, a native of Ernakulam who works in the Garden city.
The Railway Board too already made it clear that the tatkal waiting list passengers would be given preference over the general waiting list for seat allotment. “It’s quite possible that there would be more coaches for tatkal reservation, depending on the popularity of the train.
But generally we have one or two coaches under the scheme," a senior railway official said. There are also charges that the railways is extorting money in the name of ‘waitlist tatkal system’ as upon cancellation the entire ticket cost is lost.
“Unlike other tickets the money won’t be refunded for this even if the commuter wants to cancel the ticket. Also the tatkal waitlist tickets when confirmed should be given from the tatkal quota and not from the general quota. Waitlist tickets issued two months in advance should get preference over the tatkal waitlist tickets issued a day prior to journey,” Manvettom said.
The Tatkal scheme was introduced in 1997 with a view to provide reservation to those passengers who have to undertake journey at short notice and to save such passengers from the clutches of unscrupulous elements/touts.
At present, this scheme is available in almost all Mail/Express trains and in all reserved classes except First Class and First AC Class. Ministry of Railways has now decided to introduce Tatkal scheme in reserved classes of passenger trains also.
