Indian Railways Reduced the Advanced Booking Period of the Tickets to 60 Days

The Indian Railways reduced the advanced booking period of the tickets from four months duration to two months, with effect from 1 May 2013. This has been done to prevent the enormous amount of cancellations after the booking process.

The Railway notification issued on 25 April 2013 declared that the advance reservation period (ARP) in order to book the reserved train tickets was being reduced from 120 days to 60 days from 1 May 2013. It was also declared that the bookings which were done up to 30 April 2013 under already-existing ARP of 120 days will not be changed.

Railway officials believed that this action would help the genuine travellers and reduced touts that booked bulk tickets in advance. No change was introduced to ARP limit of 360 days for foreign tourists.

Cancellation of booking which was made beyond the time duration of 60 days shall be permitted. At present, tatkal tickets are being issued when a person produces self-attested photocopy of a valid identity proof.

In order to monitor the tout, Railways conduct raids on the railway stations as well.