The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has confirmed that its online reservation platform remained operational despite a surge in user traffic during the Diwali and Chhath Puja festive period. The corporation issued the clarification following reports of difficulties encountered by passengers while booking tickets on the morning of November 10.
IRCTC explained that the increase in demand during festivals causes exceptionally high traffic on its website and mobile application, particularly during peak booking hours. This surge resulted in delayed logins and booking difficulties for some users but did not constitute a complete system shutdown.
The corporation further addressed misinformation circulating on social media, which claimed the ticket booking system was entirely down between 10:00 AM and 10:40 AM. IRCTC stated these assertions do not reflect the actual operational status of its services.
IRCTC emphasized its critical role in facilitating railway ticket bookings for millions of passengers nationwide, with approximately 89% of reserved railway tickets now booked online. The organization continues to enhance its website, mobile applications, and technical infrastructure to provide a secure and reliable booking experience.
Regular system upgrades are implemented to manage increasing demand and strengthen the platform. IRCTC reaffirmed its commitment to improving digital services, addressing passenger concerns, and ensuring smoother ticket bookings during festive seasons and periods of high demand.