IRCTC Down: Frustrated Users Take to Social Media Over Ticket Troubles During Peak Tatkal Time

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) e-ticketing platform faced a significant outage today, leaving millions of users stranded during the crucial tatkal booking hours. The unexpected downtime, reportedly due to maintenance activity, sparked a wave of frustration across India, especially as tatkal bookings are known for their high demand and time sensitivity.

Chaos During Tatkal Hours

Tatkal ticket bookings are often the last-minute lifeline for travelers needing urgent reservations. The IRCTC platform’s sudden unavailability during peak hours meant countless travelers were unable to book or manage their tickets. Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) became the go-to outlet for disgruntled users to voice their frustrations.

One user angrily commented, “How can IRCTC website go down during tatkal timings??? Why are we even bothering about building a bullet train when we can't even build a f**king website??”

Another user sarcastically noted, “India reached the moon, but the Indian Railways ticket booking app can't handle Tatkal booking without crashing. It's 2024, and a stable server shouldn't be rocket science!”

Others pointed out the irony of India’s position as a global IT hub, yet unable to maintain a stable ticketing platform.

IRCTC’s Response

Users attempting to log into the platform were greeted with a message that read, “Due to maintenance activity, e-ticketing service will not be available. Please try later.” IRCTC also shared customer care numbers—14646, 08044647999, and 08035734999—for resolving ticketing issues and cancellations, along with an email address: etickets@irctc.co.in.

Despite the communication, the outage caused widespread inconvenience, leaving many travelers helpless during this peak time.

Downdetector Reports

Downdetector, a platform that monitors real-time outages, recorded nearly 2,000 reports of IRCTC being down by 11:48 AM. The outage was reported from major cities across India, including New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Jaipur, and Lucknow.IRCTC Down: Frustrated Users Take to Social Media Over Ticket Troubles During Peak Tatkal Time

Lessons to Be Learned

For a platform as critical as IRCTC, reliability and uptime are non-negotiable. The outage underscores the urgent need for robust systems that can handle peak traffic without disruptions. As users vent their frustrations online, it serves as a wake-up call for organizations to prioritize user experience and system stability.

The incident also highlights the importance of real-time communication with users during such outages. While IRCTC shared customer care numbers and email support, the timing and lack of prior notice intensified the backlash.

Conclusion

The IRCTC outage today has put the spotlight on the challenges of managing high-traffic digital platforms in a country as populous and travel-dependent as India. For travelers, it’s a reminder to always have a backup plan during critical bookings. For IRCTC, it’s a lesson in the cost of downtime—both in terms of user trust and reputation.

What are your thoughts on the IRCTC outage? Share your experience in the comments!

Reference from :- https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/irctc-down-chaos-on-x-as-frustrated-users-rant-about-ticket-troubles-during-peak-tatkal-time-101735193077793.html