IRCTC Outage: Check Why IRCTC Is Down ?
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the digital platform for booking train tickets in India, faced a significant outage on Thursday. Passengers trying to access its website and mobile app encountered service interruptions, leaving many unable to book or manage tickets during the busy holiday season.
Why is IRCTC Down?
The IRCTC confirmed that the downtime was due to scheduled maintenance activities. In a brief statement, the platform informed users:
“Due to maintenance activity, e-ticketing service will not be available. Please try later.”
This outage marks the second service disruption in December, causing frustration among regular users who depend on the platform for seamless travel planning.
How to Cancel Tickets During the Outage
Passengers needing to cancel their tickets during this downtime can contact IRCTC’s customer support through these channels:
- Customer Care Numbers: 14646, 08044647999, 08035734999
- Email: etickets@irctc.co.in
Travelers must provide ticket details to obtain a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) for processing cancellations.
Impact on Passengers and Stock Performance
The outage came at a critical time when many travelers rely on IRCTC services for holiday travel. The disruption not only inconvenienced passengers but also affected IRCTC’s stock performance.
- Market Impact: IRCTC shares fell nearly 1% during Thursday’s trading session. Over the past week, the stock has dipped by nearly 4%, and on a year-to-date basis, it has delivered a negative return of over 10% in 2024.
Recent Policy Changes Add to Passenger Woes
The outage follows recent changes to Indian Railways’ ticket booking policies, implemented on November 1, which reduced the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) from 120 days to 60 days.
This policy shift aims to address over-bookings and cancellations. However, it has received mixed reactions from passengers, especially frequent travelers. According to officials, nearly 21% of reservations made between 61 and 120 days in advance were later canceled. Additionally, about 5% of passengers neither canceled their tickets nor boarded their trains, contributing to inefficiencies.
Looking Ahead
Indian Railways implemented the ARP reduction to better track travel demand and plan special trains during peak periods. However, the back-to-back service disruptions highlight the need for robust digital infrastructure to avoid such inconveniences in the future.
Conclusion
While IRCTC’s maintenance is essential for improving service quality, recurring outages during high-demand seasons are inconvenient for passengers and investors alike. Indian Railways must prioritize seamless digital operations to maintain trust and reliability.
