Indian Railways Makes Major Change To Emergency Quota Rules — Here’s What Passengers Must Know

In a major policy shift, the Ministry of Railways has updated the rules for booking tickets under the Emergency Quota (EQ), making it mandatory for passengers to submit requests at least a day before the train's scheduled departure. The move is aimed at ensuring smoother reservation processes and timely preparation of charts.

Revised Timings for EQ Requests

According to a circular issued by the Railway Ministry on Tuesday, the new rules specify clear submission deadlines based on the departure time of the train. For trains departing between 00:00 hours and 14:00 hours, emergency quota requests must reach the EQ cell by 12:00 PM on the previous day. For trains scheduled to depart between 14:01 hours and 23:59 hours, requests must be submitted by 4:00 PM the day before.

The ministry has categorically stated that emergency quota requests made on the same day of travel will no longer be accepted. The change follows a recent decision to finalise reservation charts eight hours prior to a train's departure instead of the earlier four-hour window. For morning departures, the final reservation chart will now be prepared by 9:00 PM the previous evening.

Rules for Holidays and Verification of Requests

Special provisions have been made for Sundays and public holidays. Requests for EQ accommodation for trains departing on a Sunday, or on a holiday that follows a Sunday, must be submitted during office hours on the last working day before the holiday.

The Railway Board highlighted that its reservation cell receives a large volume of EQ requests from VIPs, railway officials, senior bureaucrats, and various government departments. Emphasising the importance of fairness, the ministry said that all efforts are made to allocate the quota "judiciously and with common prudence."

To prevent misuse and avoid delays in chart preparation, the ministry has directed all officers to strictly follow the revised deadlines. Any delay in finalising the reservation charts could result in inconvenience to passengers and even delay train departures.

Additionally, forwarding authorities have been instructed to verify the authenticity of each request and ensure full compliance with existing emergency quota guidelines.

(With PTI Inputs)