The Indian Railways Passenger Reservation System (PRS), the backbone of train ticketing operations across the country, will remain unavailable for five hours on November 22, due to a planned system upgrade. The shutdown will take place from 11:45 PM on Friday, November 22, to 4:45 AM on Saturday, November 23, as officials transition from the existing core system to an upgraded platform aimed at improving speed, efficiency, and security.
Why the Upgrade Is Necessary
PRS enables millions of passengers to book tickets daily through the IRCTC website, the Rail Connect mobile app, and counters at railway stations. The system also handles crucial processes such as chart preparation, current reservations, and cancellation services. Indian Railways has stated that the core switch is essential to maintaining smooth data flow across the network, especially as digital ticket bookings continue to rise each year.
To minimise inconvenience, the maintenance window has been scheduled during late night hours, when passenger activity is at its lowest.
Services That Will Be Unavailable
According to News18 report, During the five hour downtime, several key PRS related services will remain suspended. These include:
- Ticket booking through internet or counters
- Ticket cancellation
- Current reservation
- Chart preparation
- PRS status enquiry
- e-DRPRIMES application
Passengers planning to travel late on November 22 or early on November 23 are advised to complete ticketing activities before the scheduled shutdown.
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Convenience Through Digital Platforms
Despite the temporary suspension, Indian Railways highlighted that the upgraded system will further simplify travel planning. Passengers can book both reserved and unreserved tickets online after creating an account on IRCTC, reducing the need for physical queues at stations. The new system is expected to make online booking faster and more secure.
Fog Disrupts Train Movement Across North India
Alongside the scheduled upgrade, winter conditions have started affecting train operations in several northern states. Dense fog over the past few days has led to delays and cancellations, impacting daily commuters and long distance travellers alike.
Indian Railways has already cancelled 24 major long- istance trains for a three month period from December 1 to February 28, due to persistent fog and operational challenges. These cancellations will affect routes connecting cities such as Patna, Ambala, Prayagraj, Amritsar, Kamakhya, Kolkata, Ajmer, and Howrah, impacting travellers across Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, and neighbouring regions.
Passengers are advised to check the latest train status before planning their journey as winter conditions are expected to intensify in the coming weeks.
