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The segment of rail travel in India is very large. A very useful option for easy commuting, people working up and down the country and people living in other states. One can travel in Indian Railways even after getting the ticket confirmed, but often due to heavy crowd, the ticket remains waiting. While traveling by train, if the ticket is not confirmed, then traveling in the reserved coach is not allowed. At present, in Rajya Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has suggested an easy way to confirm waiting tickets.
Option Scheme in Indian Railways
In the new reforms being done by Indian Railways, Demand Pattern and Option Scheme has been implemented by the Railway Department. About which very few people know. Railway Department issues waitlist tickets so that maximum utilization of seats left vacant after cancellation of reservation can be done. Moreover, the waiting list helps the Railways to assess the demand pattern better. In such a situation, the Vikalp scheme of Indian Railways is proving to be very useful for the passengers. Especially for those passengers who are in dilemma due to waiting list.
Railway Minister replied
In the Rajya Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, while replying to the questions of Nationalist Congress Party member Fauzia Khan, said that during the financial year 2023-24, 57,209 passengers were given seats in alternative trains under the Vikalp scheme. The scheme was launched in 2016 to provide confirmed seats to waitlisted passengers and ensure maximum utilization of available seats.
Who can benefit?
Fauzia Khan asked the government about expanding the Vikalp scheme on high-demand routes as the scheme has been successful since 2016. The Railway Minister said that this scheme is applicable at all India level and under this, only those passengers who have opted for Vikalp scheme at the time of ticket booking get the benefit.
How will passengers benefit?
Vikalp Yojana is an initiative of the Railway Department to provide seats to passengers in alternative trains running on the same route if they do not get a confirmed seat in their original train, i.e. through Vikalp Yojana, passengers can also travel in another train. An additional option. Although the Vikalp scheme does not guarantee a confirmed seat, it increases the chances of getting a confirmed ticket. While booking the ticket, if a passenger gets a waiting list ticket then he can opt for the Vikalp scheme. If a seat is available in any other train under the Vikalp scheme, the passenger is informed. The point to be noted here is that this facility is very beneficial for those passengers who have to travel urgently.
Railway department also benefited from this scheme
Apart from this, this scheme also helps Railways to make better use of vacant seats. In the financial year 2023-24, 57,209 passengers traveled by taking advantage of the Vikalp scheme, which shows the success of the scheme. Indian Railways is continuously working on such schemes to provide better services to the passengers and make the travel experience easier. The objective of this scheme is to reduce the problem of waiting list and to give passengers the option of confirmed travel. Its expansion on high demand routes is likely to benefit more passengers in the future.