Kochi: Janshatabdi train may not keep you on waiting list

Kochi: If you get a waiting list ticket for Janshatabdi or Jayanti Janata Express trains, chances are more it would get confirmed, thanks to new passenger reservation system for automatically assigning vacant berths once the train leaves originating station.

According to senior divisional railway officials, the facility has benefitted commuters of the Thiruvananthapuram-bound Janshatabdi Express (No: 12075) the most with nearly 300 seats allotted under the system in the last three days.

“All trains in the division which have remote-location charting now boosts the facility. Till now, the vacant berths in a particular pool, say Ernakulam-Thiruvananthapuram, cannot be availed by commuters boarding from Ernakulam even if they remain vacant. Now they can book seats online even after departure of the trains,” a senior railway official said.

The facility, which was implemented from October 24 in the division, is now available in Thiruvananthapuram-Chennai Mail (T No 12624), Island Express (T No 16525) and Kanniyakumari-Mumbai CST Jayanti Janata (T No 16382) among others.

“At stations like Thrissur, now daily announcements are made through public addressing system about ‘vacant seats’ available in Janshatabti Express. The officials in the reservation centre would know vacant seat position relating to that of Kozhikode-Thrissur quota pool once the train leaves Kozhikode. They will pass on the same to the Thrissur Information centre and commuters can reserve seats till 15 minutes before the train arrival,” said P Krishnakumar, General Secretary, Thrissur Railway Passengers Association.

Under the facility being implemented country-wide, berths that remain vacant at the originating station will be assigned to wait-listed passengers at the next and following stations, after the second reservation chart has been prepared. So far only the TTEs were able to allocate vacant berths after departure to the following station if no one occupies them.