Technical News Office – Traveling by train during major festivals like Diwali and Chhath is no less than a challenge and this problem increases when you don’t have a confirmed ticket. If you are also looking forward to returning home this Diwali or Chhath and want to book a confirmed ticket, then this news may be helpful for you. To provide relief to passengers and help them get confirmed tickets, Indian Railways (IRCTC) has come up with a special scheme named Vikalp Yojana. This program provides relief to passengers troubled by waitlisted tickets. This program allows you to obtain confirmed seats on alternative trains operating on the same route. Keep in mind that this system does not guarantee obtaining a confirmed ticket.
What is Vikalp Yojana?
Vikalp Scheme is an initiative of IRCTC, designed to provide the option of alternative trains to passengers who cannot get a confirmed seat in their original train. The system will provide flexibility so that waitlisted passengers can be transferred to alternative trains with available seats on the same route. It is important to note, however, that opting for the options plan does not guarantee a confirmed place. This only increases the chances of getting a confirmed seat. as well as
How does IRCTC Vikalp program work?
When a passenger opts for the option, their waitlisted ticket is transferred to another train on which seats are available and which runs within 12 hours of the originally scheduled departure. This facility/system comes in particularly handy during festivals like Diwali and Chhath, when people expect to get ticket confirmation at the last moment, which is quite rare. If a seat becomes available on another train, the passenger’s ticket is automatically confirmed there. However, if the ticket is confirmed and then canceled, standard cancellation fees will be charged. While IRCTC’s Vikalp scheme can help increase the chances of getting a confirmed ticket, passengers may have to shift their boarding or destination station to nearby alternative stations depending on the options available. This flexibility will help reduce the hassle associated with waitlist bookings when traveling during major festivals.
How to use the options plan?
Here we take you through the step by step process to select the option scheme while booking IRCTC train tickets:
1. Visit the IRCTC website or app and log in.
2. Select your travel date, source, destination and category.
3. Enter passenger details and make payment to confirm your booking.
4. When prompted, select the Option Plan option.
5. Here the list of alternative trains will be displayed. Choose an alternative train if available.
6. Once the chart is generated, check your PNR status to see if your reservation in the alternative train is confirmed.
Special features of Vikalp Yojana:
1. It is only available for Mail and Express trains.
2. This program only applies to passengers on a waiting list.
3. There are no additional fees to join this program.
4. Passengers opting for this option are automatically considered for alternative trains.
5. After being transferred to the alternate train, passengers cannot board the original train.
Benefits of choosing the Option plan this Diwali:
During the festival season, passengers often face the problem of waiting list tickets. The Vikalp program provides relief by increasing the chances of getting a confirmed seat:
1. Higher chances of getting a confirmed ticket: Waitlisted passengers have a higher chance of getting a seat on alternative trains at no extra cost.
2. No additional fees (most of the time): Passengers only need to pay for their original ticket, with no additional fees for the alternative train.
3. Flexibility: The system allows easy transfer to alternative trains depending on seat availability, reducing the hassle of rebooking during peak travel season.
