7 in 10 struggle to book Tatkal tickets online, survey reveals
New Delhi: Despite the Indian Railways' push for digital services, a recent survey has revealed that a notable chunk of passengers continue to face significant hurdles while booking tickets under the Tatkal system.
According to a nationwide survey conducted by citizen engagement platform LocalCircles, as cited by Deccan Herald on Sunday, seven out of ten people reported difficulty in booking Tatkal tickets online in the last twelve months, with many saying that tickets became unavailable within a minute of the booking window opening, leaving them waitlisted.
The survey sheds light on growing public dissatisfaction with the Tatkal system, which is designed to help passengers book tickets for trains departing the next day. Only four in ten train travellers believed that the regular online booking process was the most effective way to secure a Tatkal ticket, while a notable number reported failed attempts even when booking promptly.
Interestingly, at least three in ten surveyed mentioned they felt their best chance at securing a Tatkal ticket was through a travel agent. “This is an indicator that even in this digital age, people believe they must go through a travel agent to secure a Tatkal booking because of either the system deficiencies or unknown forces at the ticketing backend that such agents can access,” said the survey report.
LocalCircles said it conducted the survey to find out the experiences of people booking Tatkal tickets, garnering over 55,000 responses from train travellers across more than 396 districts nationwide. Of the respondents, 63% were men and 37% were women.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
