New Delhi:
By the end of this year, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal promises to revamp the e-ticketing system to support 7,200 net bookings in a minute. Right now, the Railways website allows 2,000 bookings a minute and crashes often due overloading.
Promising what he called a next generation e-ticketing system, the minister said in his Rail Budget speech that, "the new system will support 7,200 tickets a minute and 1,20,000 users."
The Railways' website at irctc.co.in has been much feted for its good user interface, but Mr Bansal admitted congestion was a problem.
Mr Bansal's acknowledgement of the digital age also includes a promise of free wi-fi on some trains soon and plans to allow booking of train tickets on mobile phones.
Railway booking facilities will be extended from 12:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., the minister said.
He has earmarked Rs.100 crore to spruce up railway stations in the capital, New Delhi and plans 179 escalators and 400 lifts at other select stations. For the differently-abled, stations will also have braille stickers and wheelchairs.
The cash-strapped Railways was spreading its funds thin, Mr Bansal said, but added that a resource crunch was no excuse to deprive passengers of better amenities.