IRCTC outage disrupts Tatkal bookings for the 3rd time this month

IRCTC outage disrupted Tatkal bookings this morning, leaving passengers unable to book tickets for over an hour
Third major IRCTC outage this month; issues included failed transactions, unavailable standard tickets, and delayed bookings
IRCTC has not provided an official statement about repeated outages during peak booking hours affecting passenger travel plans

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) experienced a major outage today during the critical Tatkal booking window at approx 10 AM. Passengers reported encountering an error message stating, “Booking and cancellation for all site will not be available for next hour. Inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.” The outage affected both ticket bookings and cancellations, leading to significant disruption during one of the busiest times for travelers.

This is the third outage reported this month on the IRCTC platform. Similar incidents occurred on December 9 and December 26, disrupting the ticketing process for several hours. Travelers attempting to book Tatkal tickets today faced errors processing payments, completing transactions, and viewing ticket details. Tatkal tickets are time-sensitive, as they can only be booked a day before departure, making the outage particularly challenging for passengers.

Some users reported that when the platform was restored, only premium Tatkal tickets, which are priced at higher rates, were available. Complaints about failed transactions and unavailability of standard Tatkal tickets were widespread. Many passengers expressed concerns over the repeated disruptions and their inability to secure tickets for urgent travel needs.

Maintenance activities on the IRCTC platform are typically scheduled late at night, around 11 PM. However, the timing of today’s issue during the 10 AM Tatkal window led to speculation about whether the platform could handle peak-hour traffic efficiently. IRCTC has not provided any official statement regarding the outage or its underlying cause.

The disruption comes during a period of high travel demand, with passengers planning New Year trips. This outage has raised concerns about IRCTC’s preparedness to manage the increased traffic and ensure uninterrupted services during critical booking hours. Calls for improvements to infrastructure and traffic management have intensified following repeated issues this month.

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IRCTC outage