IRCTC News : Upgradation Scheme in Indian Railways

IRCTC News : Upgradation Scheme in Indian Railways

IRCTC News : Upgradation Scheme in Indian Railways – Ugradation is being performed to the passengers against the vacancies in the higher classes, passengers are allowed to travel from lower class to higher class without payment any extra charges under this scheme.

The Up-gradation Scheme
• With a view to optimise the utilisation of available accommodation in train, a scheme to upgrade full-fare paying passengers to the higher class without any extra charge against the available vacant accommodation is available in all Mail/Express trains having sleeping accommodation.

• The passengers are required to give the option for being considered for upgradation. If no option is given at the time of filling up of requisition form, the same is treated as “yes” and passenger(s) can be considered for upgradation.

• The passengers for upgradation are selected automatically (except in cases where the passenger has shown his unwillingness to be upgraded) on random basis by the System at the time of preparation of reservation charts.

• All the passengers on a ticket are upgraded together.

• It is not done for block booking transactions.

• If a passenger, who has been upgraded, cancels his ticket, cancellation charges of the original class only are payable. It is advisable to avail the facility (by exercising the option in the affirmative) and always to check the status (coach/ berth numbers) before boarding the train.

2S, CC and EC classes. The scheme is applicable only to passengers having booked tickets on full fare.Concession ticket/free pass holders including senior citizens traveling on concession will not be upgraded. Up gradation will not be done for block booking transactions. Up gradation will be automatically done by PRS at the time of charting. The Train Conductors/Ticket Examiners will have no authority to upgrade any passenger under this scheme on the train.

However, the present system of upgradation on collection of full fare difference by booking, reservation or checking staff will continue as usual. If a passenger, who has been upgraded, cancels his ticket, cancellation charges of the original class only will be payable. Up gradation of passengers will be done in one class above only e.g. from sleeper to 3AC/FC, 3AC to 2AC and 2AC to 1AC. Only waitlisted passengers will be provided confirmed seats.

The remaining vacant berths will be transferred for booking on the current counters as per the existing practice. Thus, if there is no waiting list on a train, no upgradation will take place. The berths of confirmed passengers, who have been upgraded to the higher class, will be allotted to the RAC/WL passengers of that class. If there are still some berths vacant, the vacant berths will be allotted to confirmed passengers of the next lower class.

All passengers in one PNR (maximum 6) will be upgraded together or none of them will be upgraded in case of non-availability of enough berths for upgradation. Passengers will be upgraded without asking for their choice e.g. SL to AC/FC coach, cabin berth to side berth, lower berth to upper berth, cabin level compact accommodation to coach level compact accommodation.

However, if any passenger exercises NO option for upgradation in the requisition form at the time of booking, his/her PNR will not be considered by PRS for upgradation. Party consisting of both full fare paying and confessional passengers will be not upgraded, to avoid splitting. Original PNR of upgraded passengers will remain unchanged and all information from PRS, IVRS etc., will be provided when enquiry is made with the original PNR.

Since there will be changes in the coach number and berth numbers of passengers, who had earlier been allotted confirmed seats, if they are upgraded, passengers will need to get into the habit of checking their final coach numbers and berth numbers before occupying the berths. The chart of the original class of passengers will have indication at the bottom of the chart giving original berth numbers, which have been upgraded.

The final charts of the upgraded class will include the names of upgraded passengers against their allotted upgraded coach and berth number and will have an indication denoting their upgraded status. There will also be a separate sheet on the lines of the waiting list chart giving old status and new status for upgraded passengers.