Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnao on Thursday announced that the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will launch a new and improved website by July 15, following complaints from students about the difficulties they face while booking tickets.
The announcement came during an event held in Rajasthan, where students interacted with the minister and highlighted issues related to the existing IRCTC portal. One student specifically pointed out issues with CAPTCHA verification on the website, saying it caused inconvenience while booking tickets, news agency ANI reported.
In response, Vaishnau immediately contacted an administrator and moved the students’ request to a better platform. “Are we going to be able to do this in 30 days?” the Railway Minister asked the official before mentioning that the new IRCTC website would be launched by July 15.
The announcement was made during a visit to Rajasthan
Vaishnaw was in Jaipur on Thursday, where he also announced the setting up of an advanced quantum computing and quantum communications laboratory at the Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur.
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Reportedly, the laboratory will be established under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Academic Project on Electronics and ICT. The facility will focus on developing local capabilities in quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum computing simulation, and quantum sensor components.
The minister says quantum technology will lead the next wave
Addressing the students and faculty, Vaishnaw said that while the current technological wave is led by artificial intelligence, the next major phase of technological advancement will be led by quantum technology.
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He said that the work being carried out within the framework of the project will be of great importance to the country. The lab will also conduct research in the field of quantum key distribution (QKD), which the release described as important from a national security perspective.
MNIT students have access to the semiconductor training platform
The Railway Minister also announced that students of MNIT Jaipur will get access to Lam Research’s ‘Semiverse’ platform, a digital semiconductor manufacturing and twin-based training system aimed at enhancing learning in semiconductor technology.
A new FM transmitter has been opened in Jaisalmer district
During the visit, Vaishnaw virtually inaugurated a 20 kW Akashvani FM transmitter at Ramgarh in Jaisalmer from Akashvani’s Jaipur headquarters.
With this addition, Rajasthan now has 39 FM transmitters. The Ramgarh transmitter will reportedly provide radio coverage within an 80 km radius in the border region, covering nearly 20,000 sq km of Jaisalmer district and enabling residents to access information, educational and entertainment programmes.
Addressing the gathering, Vaishnaw called for a shift in Prasar Bharati’s performance and outlook. He stressed that in an era of rapid technological advancement, radio broadcasting must adopt a “digital-first” and “hyper-local” approach to remain relevant and influential. He also directed officials to prepare a roadmap for this transformation and stressed the importance of integrating local artists and craftsmen into the streaming ecosystem.
(with ANI inputs)
