Rlys extends 'Vikalp' option to passengers booking tickets from counters

Railways has revised its reservation form to allow passengers booking tickets from counters to use the alternate train accommodation scheme which is currently available only on online bookings, the ministry said today.

With a view to provide confirmed accommodation to wait listed passengers and also to ensure optimal utilisation of available accommodation, a scheme called 'Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme -- Vikalp' was introduced in 2015 only for the tickets booked through internet.

Under the scheme, wait listed passengers of a train could opt for confirmed accommodation in alternate trains.

"In the revised reservation form, passengers are given an option either to avail the option of Vikalp scheme or not to avail it, where they may give their preference by ticking the column Yes or No.

"If the option of Vikalp is availed by passengers, he/she would have to mark his/her choice of alternate train departing within 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours. Also, passenger is given an optional choice to mention their Aadhaar number in the reservation form," a statement from the ministry said.

Initially the scheme was only for the tickets booked through internet as a pilot project for six months, on Delhi-Lucknow and Delhi-Jammu sectors of Northern Railway. Later, this scheme was extended in all sectors across Indian Railways.