Railway's 25% Waiting List Cap Sparks Debate

The Indian Railway's decision to cap passenger waiting lists at 25% capacity per class has been criticized by reservation officers and some officials as impractical and inconvenient. However, the Railway Ministry justifies the move, emphasizing passenger comfort over revenue gains. Concerns persist regarding its impact on demand assessment and travel convenience.

The Indian Railways' recent decision to limit passenger waiting lists to 25% of each class's capacity has sparked significant debate among the railway community. While reservation supervisors and some senior commercial officers have labeled the move as impractical, the Railway Ministry remains steadfast, emphasizing passenger comfort over monetary concerns.

Dilip Kumar, the Executive Director of Information and Publicity for the Railway Board, stated that the decision was based on a meticulous study of waiting list confirmation patterns, aiming to prevent overcrowding and address allegations against the previous system. Despite these justifications, critics argue that the cap impedes effective demand assessment and limits potential earnings from last-minute bookings.

Implemented by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) on June 16, the policy applies to trains with reservation facilities, excluding concessional fare tickets. While touted as a way to refine passenger flow management, detractors warn of unintended consequences, such as fostering middleman exploitation and distorting actual travel demand, urging instead for more trains on busy routes.

(With inputs from agencies.)