The Railways has changed the rules for Emergency Quota tickets, now making it mandatory to apply up to one day before the train's departure. Applications submitted after the deadline will be rejected.
Emergency Quota Ticket: Indian Railways has made a significant change to the rules for booking Emergency Quota tickets. Now, passengers seeking tickets under the Emergency Quota will need to be more vigilant and planned. The Ministry of Railways has issued a new circular clarifying that applications for tickets under this quota must now be submitted one day before the train's departure. This change is in line with the new rules regarding the preparation of railway charts.
What is the Emergency Quota?
The Emergency Quota is a special quota reserved for issuing tickets to passengers in emergency situations. These include reasons such as serious health problems, sudden death, essential travel by government officials, and deployment of defense personnel. This quota is granted only with the approval of designated railway officials.
What do the new rules say?
The circular issued by the Railway Board states that passengers must now apply for the Emergency Quota at least one day before the train's departure. This guideline is divided into two parts:
- For trains departing between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM:
The Emergency Quota request must reach the concerned emergency cell by 12:00 PM (noon) one day before the journey.
- For trains departing between 2:01 PM and 12:59 AM:
The request must be submitted to the emergency cell by 4:00 PM one day before the journey.
Why was this decision taken?
The Railways has taken this decision due to another recent decision, under which the reservation charts for trains will now be prepared 8 hours before the train's departure, whereas previously this period was 4 hours. This means that the Railways now has to finalize the chart much earlier, making it necessary to allocate Emergency Quota tickets within the same timeframe. According to the Railways, the aim of this change is to make the ticket booking process more transparent and planned so that the quota is not misused and those who genuinely need tickets urgently can be helped on a priority basis.
What precautions should passengers take?
Passengers must now plan their journey in advance, and if they need a ticket under the Emergency Quota, they must apply before the stipulated deadline. Their request will not be accepted if there is a delay. This rule is especially important for those who expect to get tickets at the last minute based on government recommendation letters or medical emergencies.
Who can apply for the Emergency Quota?
According to the rules of the Ministry of Railways, passengers falling under the following categories can apply for the Emergency Quota:
- Patients with serious illnesses and their relatives
- Government or defense personnel traveling on duty
- Sudden family reasons such as death or accident
- Members of Parliament, judges, or senior government officials whose travel is essential
- Proper documentation and authentication will be required with every request.
Changes have also been made in Tatkal ticket booking
The Railways has also made changes to the rules for Tatkal ticket booking from July 1, 2025. Now, only verified users will be able to book Tatkal tickets. This decision has been taken after complaints of fake booking and tickets being grabbed by bots. For this, it has been made mandatory for the user to get ID proof, mobile number, and email verification done.
What is the objective of the Railways?
The Ministry of Railways clearly states that the aim of all these changes is to make the system more transparent, accountable, and passenger-friendly. Providing assistance to those in need through the Emergency Quota is essential, but it has become equally important to eliminate any possibility of laxity or corruption in it.
