IRCTC app and website face outage during Tatkal booking

New Delhi

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website and mobile app went offline on Thursday during crucial Tatkal booking hours, leaving passengers unable to secure tickets. This marks the second such outage of the platform this month.

The downtime occurred due to ongoing maintenance activities, as confirmed by messages displayed on the platform, which read: “Unable to take action due to maintenance activities.” However, this explanation did little to assuage the frustration of users, especially during the holiday travel rush.

Social media platforms buzzed with complaints. One user lamented the recurring server crashes, stating, “Tatkal booking during holidays is a nightmare. Why hasn’t this issue been fixed despite repeated complaints?” Others shared screenshots showing login failures even after the ticketing window opened, accusing IRCTC of inefficiency and raising concerns about potential scams.

Several users tagged government officials in their posts, urging action. “Millions rely on this system, yet it fails during critical hours. Please address this urgently,” wrote another disgruntled user.

Some users alleged that such glitches force passengers to turn to ticket brokers, who charge exorbitant prices. “By the time we log in, tickets are gone. Brokers sell them at 3–4x the price,” remarked one post.

With frequent complaints and outages, the IRCTC is under increasing pressure to improve its digital infrastructure and ensure smoother services for travelers.