The Ministry of Railways has launched a new beta version of the IRCTC website to make booking train tickets simple and user-friendly.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnao announced last month that the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) would launch a new and improved website by July 15, following complaints from students who said they were facing difficulties and delays while booking their tickets.
The site, according to officials, has been accessible to users since nine o’clock in the evening on Wednesday (July 15). This was for users to “experience the new look and feel of the website and provide feedback on its features,” the union railway ministry said in a press release. The new website can be accessed at https://www.irctc.co.in/eticket/, with the link to the trial version also available on the existing website on the home page.
$3 lakh”>Also Read | Pooja inside a moving train? Railways clarifies in a viral video, saying the coach has been booked for over $3 lakh
What are the new features in the demo site?
According to a statement issued by the union railway ministry, IRCTC has made four major improvements in the pilot version.
• No captcha, “distractions”: The new site will no longer have “unnecessary verification codes” and other distracting elements. “No unnecessary verification codes. No unnecessary pop-ups. No flashing graphics. No distracting elements,” a press release from the ministry said.
• Seat availability: Seat availability will be visible in all categories to users to provide an easier way to check train tickets.
• Get out faster: The new application reduces the number of steps the user must follow to book a train ticket, thus providing a faster payment process for passengers.
• Easier recurring booking: The traveler’s details will be saved once the user has booked, making it easier for them to repeat their bookings.
“Very soon”, the IRCTC website will be integrated with the upcoming new passenger booking engine, the ministry said.
How was the beta created? User feedback will be included in subsequent improvements
The new improvements to the website were suggested by students of Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) during their interaction with Union Railway Minister Vaishnao. The students became part of the site’s design process, providing suggestions and feedback “on improving the look and feel of the site,” the ministry’s statement said.
The ministry said that the new website has now been launched for trial after feedback provided by students. The beta version of the IRCTC website also facilitates user feedback, the ministry said, adding that the suggestions will be incorporated “in future versions to enhance customer satisfaction.”
As the passenger booking engine is also being revamped simultaneously, the ministry said the new fully functional IRCTC portal will be available in a few weeks, with its integration. The passenger booking engine powers several train booking applications. The ministry said that the renovation and modernization process requires extensive work, since the system must remain operational at all times.
“We request our users to provide valuable suggestions and feedback on the new design, which will help us improve the IRCTC website,” the ministry said.
