Railways has introduced strict rules for passengers traveling with reserved tickets. If a passenger does not board from the designated boarding station, the reserved seat may be lost within minutes. Ticket examiners will no longer wait until the next station for reserved passengers.

Earlier, if a passenger failed to board at the boarding station, the TTE would keep the seat vacant for up to the next two stations without allotting it to anyone else. However, this has changed with the introduction of new HHT (Hand Held Terminals) tablets for TTEs. If a reserved passenger does not board the train, it will be immediately recorded in the tablet. The HHT system will then immediately allot the seat to passengers on the waiting list or those with RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) status.

SMS alert if your seat is reassigned

Once your seat is allotted to another passenger, you will receive an SMS notification on your phone. However, those who did not provide their own mobile number while booking the ticket will not receive this alert. Many passengers do not provide their personal phone numbers; instead, the number of the person booking the ticket is often given. SMS notifications are sent only to the mobile number entered at the time of reservation.

In cases where travel agents book tickets from different locations, the agent’s mobile number is usually entered, and passengers may not receive any message.

Important instruction to avoid losing your seat

To avoid losing your reserved seat, passengers must board the train at the boarding station mentioned on the ticket and arrive on time. If you plan to board from a different station, you must change the boarding point at least 24 hours before departure through the IRCTC website or mobile app.