The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) faced a significant outage on the morning of December 9, causing widespread disruptions for passengers attempting to book train tickets. The outage, which began around 10 am, affected both the IRCTC website and mobile app, leading to major issues for users looking to book tickets, particularly during the peak Tatkal booking window.
Widespread Disruption in Ticket Bookings
According to Downdetector, approximately 50% of users reported being unable to access the IRCTC website, while 40% faced issues with the app. Additionally, 10% of users were unable to complete their ticket bookings altogether. The outage primarily impacted users trying to log in, search train schedules, check fares, and complete transactions.
The outage began around 10 am, right before the crucial Tatkal booking period, which added to the frustration of passengers. Many took to social media to voice their dissatisfaction, with numerous complaints regarding the timing of the issue. Tatkal bookings, which are in high demand and time-sensitive, were particularly affected, leaving many passengers unable to secure their tickets.
Error Reports and User Complaints
Passenger complaints ranged from being unable to log in to the app, to encountering errors while searching for trains, schedules, and fares. Some users also reported transaction failures when attempting to book tickets, further compounding the frustration. Given the timing of the outage, many passengers who were attempting to book tickets during the peak Tatkal hours were unable to secure reservations, which created additional inconvenience.
IRCTC’s Response
As of now, IRCTC has not issued an official statement regarding the cause of the outage or the steps being taken to resolve the issue. The lack of information from the company has left users seeking clarity, especially since the outage impacted one of the busiest periods for train ticket bookings.
A Growing Trend of Outages
This incident is not the first time IRCTC has faced technical disruptions. Earlier this year, the website experienced similar outages, though these were less widespread. The recurrence of such issues highlights concerns over the robustness of the infrastructure supporting IRCTC’s online booking platform, which handles millions of transactions every day.
