On the occasion of Diwali and Chhath Puja, IRCTC's website and app crashed on October 17. As a result, millions of passengers were unable to book Tatkal tickets. IRCTC cited increased server load as the reason and provided contact numbers for resolution.
IRCTC App: On the occasion of Diwali and Chhath Puja, millions of passengers were trying to book railway tickets to go home. During this time, Tatkal ticket booking hours are usually the busiest, but on October 17, 2025, between 10 AM and 11 AM, IRCTC's website and mobile app suddenly went down. Consequently, passengers were unable to book tickets and faced significant inconvenience.
Tatkal Ticket Booking Time Affected
During festive seasons, Tatkal ticket booking serves as a relief for passengers. This facility provides people with an opportunity to plan their journey at the last moment and secure tickets. However, this time, due to the website being down, this facility could not be availed. Passengers expressed their dissatisfaction on social media platform X and demanded immediate rectification from IRCTC.
A notification was issued on IRCTC's website stating that booking and cancellation facilities would not be available for the next hour. To cancel tickets or file a TDR, passengers need to call 08044647999 and 08035734999 or email [email protected] .
IRCTC App Also Down, Passengers Disappointed
Similar to the website, IRCTC's mobile app was also not working during this period. Due to the app being down, mobile users were also deprived of Tatkal ticket booking. Passengers stated that at a time when the number of travelers is very high due to festivals, such technical glitches cause significant inconvenience.
The shutdown of the IRCTC app and website not only affected ticket booking but also prevented many from planning their travel. Some passengers mentioned that they tried multiple times since morning, but an error message consistently appeared on the site.
What is the Reason?
IRCTC's website has faced technical issues multiple times in the past. Typically, during maintenance or due to a sudden increase in server load, the website goes down for some time. This time too, the website displayed a message indicating that ticket booking and cancellation facilities would not be available for the next few hours.
However, IRCTC has not yet released any official statement explaining why the website and app crashed this time. Experts suggest that a sudden surge in the number of passengers during festive seasons increases pressure on servers, which can lead to website and app crashes.
Rising Ticket Demand During Festivals
During Diwali and Chhath Puja, the number of passengers is very high. People particularly rely on Tatkal tickets to travel to their families. This facility provides them an opportunity to secure tickets at the last minute.
Due to the shutdown of IRCTC's website and app, millions of passengers were unable to book tickets. Some passengers reported that they tried since morning to get train tickets, but due to the server being down, they could not book. This led to increased travel delays and inconvenience.
Passengers Troubled, Anger on Social Media
Following the issues with Tatkal ticket booking, passengers expressed their anger on social media platforms like X and Facebook. Passengers stated that such technical problems are unacceptable during festivals and IRCTC should take responsibility for them.
Many passengers suggested that IRCTC should provide additional servers and better technical support to prevent service disruptions during such critical times.
IRCTC has provided contact numbers and an email address to resolve the issues with Tatkal ticket booking. Passengers have been advised to contact the given numbers or email for ticket cancellation or TDR filing.
