What is the Indian Railway ‘Vikalp’ Scheme?

Indian Railways has launched a new scheme called Vikalp to ease the long queue of waiting list passengers. The main objective of starting Vikalp was to help passengers in the waiting list to get guaranteed accommodation on the next alternative train if they choose an option while booking tickets online.

Here’s what you need to know about the Vikalp scheme:-

• An alternative train accommodation system known as Viklap will be introduced on a pilot basis for trains running on the Delhi-Lucknow and Delhi-Jammu sectors from November 1.
• Initially, the Vikalp scheme will be available only for tickets booked online for six months and the facility will be limited to mail and express trains on two selected lines, a senior railway ministry official said.
• According to the agreement, passengers waiting in line for the train would have the opportunity to receive confirmed accommodation in the next train on the line.
• Passengers who opt for the Vikalp scheme while booking tickets online will receive an SMS message on their mobile about guaranteed accommodation in an alternative train.
• Under the system, the passenger would not be charged additional fees or be compensated for the price difference.
• The name of the passenger accommodated in the alternative train will not appear in the waiting list of his original train, the official said, and will be added to a separate list of passengers transferred to the alternative train with a confirmed and waiting list.

The railway aims to achieve two goals: to ensure safe accommodation for passengers in the queue and to ensure optimal use of the accommodation facilities offered by this system. Although there is high demand for train seats in certain sectors throughout the year, some routes experience increased speeds during the holidays. The system is described as a “passenger friendly” measure to offer guaranteed accommodation to passengers waiting in line for alternative trains. After feedback, the system will be extended to reservation points and other routes. The official online catering partner of IRCTC Travelkhana has gone all out to keep Indian travelers updated about the new Vikalp scheme.