Patna: Rail passengers travelling through Patna and other areas under the Danapur Division are set to benefit from a new facility that will allow booking of confirmed berths even after a train has departed its origin station.
The initiative is being rolled out under directives from the Railway Board and is being implemented by East Central Railway as part of a digital upgrade in ticketing and seat management systems.
Real-Time Seat Updating System
Under the new arrangement, Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs) will use upgraded Hand-Held Terminals (HHTs) to update the status of vacant seats during the journey.
If a passenger does not board the train, the seat will be marked vacant in the system after verification by the TTE.
Once updated, the availability will reflect instantly on the platform of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, allowing passengers to book these berths online.
Booking During Journey
With the system going live, passengers who wish to board from intermediate stations will be able to check and book confirmed berths in real time, provided seats are available.
Officials said this will reduce uncertainty around last-minute travel and improve utilisation of vacant berths during the journey.
Shift From Existing Allocation Process
At present, vacant seats en route are typically allotted to RAC or waitlisted passengers according to railway rules.
Under the revised system, seat status updates will be digitised immediately, making availability visible to all users on the booking platform.
Paperless Ticketing for TTEs
Railway officials said the upgraded HHT devices have made ticket checking and seat management fully paperless.
The system also sends instant updates to TTE devices once a seat is booked, ensuring coordination between onboard staff and online reservations.
Passenger-Focused Upgrade
Abhinav Siddharth, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM), Danapur Division, said the initiative aims to improve passenger convenience and optimise seat utilisation.
He added that all TTEs in the division have been equipped with HHT devices to ensure smooth implementation of the system across trains.
