Date:16/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/16/stories/2007051614451000.htm

National

Now, book railway e-tickets at petrol pumps

Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has entered into an agreement with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to sell railway tickets through e-ticketing from their retail outlets. The step is to check touts and reach out to the people by offering value-added services.

The IRCTC has signed a two-year agreement with BPCL and IOCL to offer e-ticketing services through their dealer and distributor network across the country. This facility has been started at 36 locations in Chennai, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune and New Delhi.

The IRCTC provides the facility for transacting with the Indian Railway PRS System through the Internet.

In the first phase, around 100 booking centres will be opened across the country. These centres will be authorised to book tickets as per the normal flow and give identity card details of the traveller.

Tickets can be booked between 5 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. on all days, including Sundays.