To eliminate the problem of the waiting list, railways may soon start operating clone trains on busy railway routes. Indian Railways has planned to start a clone train in the next 15 days in a phased manner. In this context, the Railways will soon issue a notification. Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav told the media that all the trains currently running will be monitored and it will be seen which trains have a waiting list.
The train which will have more demand due to the long waiting list, we will run the clone train ahead of the actual train so that all the passengers can travel. VK Yadav said that the stoppages of the cloned train will be less than the special train. Clone train stops will be at the main stations only to cater to the needs of the people.
Let’s know, What is clone train scheme and how will the clone trains operate…
The clone train will run only from the actual train number. For example, all the seats of 12423/12424 New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express have been reserved, yet the weighted list is the heavy demand for the passenger. In this case, Indian Railways will run another train to bring the weighted ticket holders to the destination. Apart from this, the waitlisted passengers will also be told about their berth in the clone train after the original train’s reservation chart has been made.
Also Read: Indian Railways starts checking tickets by scanning QR codes
What are the challenges in running a clone train
The logistical challenge for Indian Railways is that it will need additional rakes to run a clone train. Indian Railways will try to run the clone train from the main cities, where it has additional rakes. Apart from this, Indian Railways will also have to make changes in their passenger reservation system (PRS). At present, Indian Railways stops booking 400 in Sleeper class, 300 in 3AC, 30 in First class, and 100 in Second class.
Already Running Option Scheme
Indian Railways is already running Option Scheme, under which alternative train option is given to passengers if the waiting list is not confirmed. The main problem of the option scheme is that if the passenger has made a reservation on any other train also, it increases the travel time of the passenger. A senior government official said that this is the right time to start the clone train as it will give clarity to the real demand of the Indian Railways. On this basis, Indian Railways will be able to provide clone trains on productive routes.
