Passengers waiting for Indian Railways’ upgraded online ticket booking platform will have to wait a little longer, as the launch of the revamped IRCTC website has been postponed. The redesigned portal, which was earlier expected to go live in mid-July, is now likely to be introduced during the first half of August, according to railway sources.
The upgraded platform was announced as part of Indian Railways’ efforts to modernise its digital services and improve the experience of millions of passengers who book tickets online every day. The delay means travellers will continue using the existing booking system until the new portal is officially rolled out.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier indicated that the upgraded website would be introduced in July after passengers, particularly students, highlighted issues such as repeated CAPTCHA verification, slow response during peak hours and difficulties in securing Tatkal tickets. The new platform is aimed at addressing these long-standing concerns.
One of the biggest improvements planned for the upgraded website is a substantial increase in booking capacity. The redesigned system is expected to process more than 1.5 lakh ticket bookings every minute, a significant jump from the current capacity of around 32,000 bookings per minute. Officials believe this enhancement will help reduce website congestion during high-demand periods, especially during Tatkal bookings.
The Passenger Reservation System (PRS) is also expected to receive a major performance upgrade. Its enquiry processing capability is projected to increase from nearly 4 lakh enquiries per minute to over 40 lakh enquiries per minute, allowing passengers to check train availability and reservation status much more efficiently.
The upcoming portal will also introduce several new passenger-friendly features. Travellers are expected to get the option to choose their preferred seats while making reservations. A fare calendar will enable users to compare ticket prices across different travel dates before confirming their bookings, helping them identify more economical travel options.
To make the platform more accessible, the website will support multiple Indian languages. In addition, services designed for Divyangjan passengers, students and patients are expected to be integrated into a single interface, reducing the need to navigate multiple sections.
The redesigned portal will feature a cleaner layout aimed at simplifying the booking process. Railway officials are also expected to reduce unnecessary pop-ups and repetitive CAPTCHA checks that often slow down reservations, particularly during peak booking windows.
Another notable improvement will allow passengers to view seat availability across multiple travel classes on a single screen instead of checking Sleeper, AC and other classes individually. This change is expected to make the reservation process quicker and more convenient.
Once launched, the upgraded IRCTC website is expected to deliver a smoother, faster and more reliable ticket booking experience for millions of railway passengers across the country.
Q1. Why has the new IRCTC website been delayed?
Railway sources indicate that the launch has been postponed to complete final preparations before the upgraded platform goes live.
Q2. When is the new IRCTC website expected to launch?
The revamped ticket booking portal is now expected to be launched in the first or second week of August.
Q3. What new features will the upgraded IRCTC website offer?
The portal is expected to include seat selection, a fare calendar, multilingual support, faster booking speeds, improved Tatkal booking and a simplified user interface.
Q4. Will Tatkal booking become faster?
Yes. The new system is designed to handle significantly more bookings per minute, which is expected to improve the Tatkal booking experience.
Q5. What is the expected booking capacity of the new portal?
The upgraded platform is expected to process over 1.5 lakh ticket bookings per minute, compared to around 32,000 bookings per minute on the current system.
