Railways urges passengers to stay Alert and vigilant while travelling; What you need to do

Indian Railways is increasingly deploying advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones and CCTV surveillance systems to strengthen the safety and security of trains, passengers, station premises and the country’s vast railway network.

The Railway Ministry on Wednesday held a high-level security review meeting in New Delhi, bringing together senior officials and field officers from across the country to assess security preparedness and improve intelligence coordination. The meeting, chaired by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at Rail Bhawan, was attended by Ministers of State for Railways V. Somanna and Ravneet Singh Bittu, along with the Chairman of the Railway Board and other senior officials.

PIB

Railways stated that swift intervention and timely action by railway staff in several instances helped prevent major mishaps. Officials also stressed the need to strengthen intelligence gathering at the grassroots level, particularly through improved beat-level monitoring by the RPF.

PIB

The discussions focused on expanding the use of technology-driven security systems, including wider CCTV coverage across railway stations and rail corridors, deployment of AI-based monitoring tools and upgrades to surveillance camera specifications. Strengthening cyber security infrastructure and improving operational coordination between Railway Board headquarters and zonal field units also figured prominently during the review.

The ministry further emphasized the need for closer coordination between the RPF and the Government Railway Police (GRP) through enhanced information-sharing mechanisms to ensure more effective security management across the railway network.

What Passengers Need To Do

  • Remain alert and vigilant while travelling on trains and waiting at railway stations.
  • Immediately report any suspicious person, activity or unattended object noticed on railway premises.
  • Use the Railway helpline number 139 to report security concerns.
  • Cooperate with railway authorities and security personnel during checks and investigations.
  • Support Railways’ efforts to curb anti-social activities by sharing timely information.

What The Government/Railways Is Doing

  • Deploying advanced technologies such as AI-based surveillance systems, drones and CCTV networks to improve railway security.
  • Strengthening intelligence gathering mechanisms at the Railway Protection Force (RPF) beat level.
  • Conducting investigations into recent fire incidents and suspected anti-social activities.
  • Expanding CCTV coverage across railway stations and rail routes.
  • Upgrading surveillance camera specifications and monitoring systems.
  • Enhancing cyber security systems across the railway network.
  • Improving coordination and information-sharing between the RPF and Government Railway Police (GRP).
  • Holding high-level security review meetings with railway officials and field officers nationwide.
  • Improving operational coordination between Railway Board headquarters and field zones for faster response and monitoring.

 

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Indian Railways Set For Biggest Ticket Booking Overhaul In Nearly 40 Years

Indian Railways is preparing to launch the most significant upgrade to its train ticket reservation system in nearly four decades, marking a major milestone in the country’s ongoing digital infrastructure push.

According to the Ministry of Railways, the revamped Passenger Reservation System (PRS) will begin rolling out from August and is expected to dramatically improve booking efficiency, processing speed and system reliability for millions of passengers across the country.

The reservation network, originally introduced in 1986, has now been completely rebuilt using upgraded digital architecture and enhanced processing capacity to cope with the growing demand for railway travel and online bookings.

Officials said the overhaul is aimed at addressing long-standing issues such as slow response times, server overload during Tatkal bookings and difficulties faced by users during festive travel periods.

Modernisation Drive in AI-Driven Era

The modernisation drive is also being viewed as part of India’s wider push toward technology-led public infrastructure reforms, a trend increasingly highlighted by India International Times in its coverage of digital governance and transport transformation initiatives.

  • 1986 — Indian Railways introduced the Passenger Reservation System (PRS)
  • 2002 — Indian Railways launched internet-based ticket booking services
  • 2026 — Indian Railways announced the biggest overhaul of its reservation system in nearly 40 years
  • August 2026 — Upgraded reservation platform scheduled to begin rollout

Indian Railways first entered the online reservation era in 2002 with the launch of internet-based ticket booking services. Since then, ticketing operations managed through Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation have become one of the world’s largest public digital transaction systems.

Railway officials say the upgraded system will support higher transaction volumes, faster confirmations and improved user stability during periods of peak demand.

The overhaul also aligns with broader efforts by Indian Railways to expand passenger-focused digital services, including AI-enabled travel assistance, predictive waitlist confirmation tools and mobile-based railway applications.

India Accelerates Travel Infra

Recent developments in railway technology and mobility infrastructure have been closely tracked by India International Times, particularly as India accelerates investments in large-scale transport modernisation projects.

The ministry has not yet disclosed detailed technical specifications of the new reservation platform but described it as the biggest technological transformation of the railway booking ecosystem since the PRS was first introduced almost 40 years ago.

Officials expect the phased rollout beginning in August to significantly improve the overall booking experience for passengers while strengthening the resilience of India’s railway digital infrastructure.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw To Flag Off Extended Vande Bharat Connecting Jammu With Srinagr

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will flag off the extended Srinagar–Katra Vande Bharat Express up to Jammu Tawi on April 30, marking a significant upgrade to rail connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.

The move comes alongside a major capacity expansion, with the train’s rake increased from 8 to 20 coaches in response to consistently high passenger demand.

The service, which earlier terminated at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, will now run till Jammu Tawi Railway Station, directly linking the Union Territory’s largest railhead with the Kashmir Valley.

Following the ceremonial run, regular operations will begin from May 2, with two pairs of trains operating six days a week across the 266-km corridor.

The first service will depart Jammu Tawi early morning and reach Srinagar in under five hours, while a second service will offer additional morning and afternoon options from both ends, improving flexibility for travellers.

Seamless travel for pilgrims, tourists and commuters

The extension eliminates the need for passengers to change trains at Katra, a long-standing inconvenience for pilgrims heading to the Vaishno Devi shrine and tourists travelling further into the Valley. It also enables a single, uninterrupted rail journey connecting Jammu directly to Srinagar.

For pilgrims, especially those combining visits to Vaishno Devi and the Amarnath Yatra routes via Srinagar, the new service simplifies travel logistics significantly. Tourists arriving in Jammu can now access Kashmir’s key destinations entirely by rail, bypassing weather-prone mountain roads.

Boost for local mobility and business

The expanded service is expected to benefit daily commuters, including students, officials and patients travelling between Jammu and Srinagar, particularly during winter when highway closures disrupt road connectivity.

For traders and artisans, the faster and more reliable rail link is likely to ease movement of goods and reduce travel costs, strengthening economic activity across the region.

Akashwani News

Engineering backbone of the route

As part of the visit, the minister will inspect the Chenab Rail Bridge and the Anji Khad Bridge, both critical components of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.

The Chenab bridge, standing taller than the Eiffel Tower, and the Anji bridge represent some of the most complex railway engineering efforts undertaken in the Himalayan region.

Part of a broader rail transformation

The extension is the latest milestone in a decade-long push to modernise rail infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. The USBRL project, spanning 272 km with extensive tunnelling and bridge construction, has enabled all-weather connectivity to the Valley.

The first Vande Bharat service on the route was flagged off by Narendra Modi in June 2025. The latest extension now brings that high-speed service to a wider population base, linking Jammu more directly with Kashmir’s economic and tourism circuits.

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Mumbai–Ahmedabad Vande Bharat To Run With 20 Coaches From April 28

Indian Railways has made the expansion of Train No. 22961/22962 Mumbai Central–Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express from 16 to 20 coaches a permanent feature, effective from journeys starting April 28, 2026. The additional four coaches include three AC Chair Car coaches and one Executive Class coach, significantly enhancing seating capacity on one of the country’s busiest inter-city routes.

The move follows sustained high demand for the service since its launch. What was initially introduced as a temporary measure to manage peak travel has now been formalised, reflecting Indian Railways’ effort to align capacity with consistently rising passenger volumes.

So far, 162 Vande Bharat services have been operationalised across the network, cutting travel times by up to 45% on several routes. Of these, 90 services run with 8 coaches, 38 with 20 coaches, and 34 with 16 coaches. This means roughly 23.45% of the services now operate with 20-coach formations, while about 21% continue with 16 coaches, and the rest remain in the 8-coach configuration.

Covering a distance of 491 kilometres in approximately five hours and 30 minutes, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad route includes stops at Borivali, Vapi, Surat, and Vadodara. It connects two of western India’s most economically dynamic cities and caters to a wide range of passengers, including business travellers, students, daily commuters, and tourists.

Passenger uptake has been strong. Nearly 4 crore passengers travelled on Vande Bharat services in FY 2025–26, marking a year-on-year growth of around 34%. Since its introduction in 2019, the service has carried over 9.1 crore passengers across more than one lakh trips. Network occupancy has consistently exceeded 100%, underscoring sustained demand.

The growing preference for Vande Bharat trains reflects changing travel expectations, with passengers prioritising speed, comfort, and punctuality. Features such as faster acceleration, cleaner coaches, improved onboard experience, and better timekeeping have contributed to their popularity.

Wikimedia

Indian Railways has been scaling up capacity across high-demand corridors as part of a broader, data-driven strategy. The permanent upgrade of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad service fits into this wider push to meet evolving passenger needs.

In addition to this route, the 20901/20902 Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express provides another key high-speed link between Gujarat and Maharashtra, connecting Gandhinagar and the Ahmedabad region with Mumbai.

Vande Bharat trains, designed as semi-high-speed services, come equipped with modern safety and passenger-friendly features. These include the KAVACH safety system, automatic plug doors, ergonomic reclining seats, and revolving seats in Executive Class. Onboard facilities include a mini pantry, charging points at every seat, CCTV surveillance, and dedicated accessible lavatories for Divyangjan passengers.

The permanent shift to a 20-coach configuration on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad route reflects a broader transformation underway in Indian Railways, as it expands capacity to match the growing demand for faster and more comfortable travel.

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Vacation Time: Indian Railways Plans 18,262 Summer Special Trips To Meet Seasonal Travel Surge [Trains Details]

In a bid to manage the annual spike in passenger movement, Indian Railways has rolled out an extensive summer operations plan, scheduling over 18,000 special train trips across the country over a three-month period.

The national transporter will run these services between April 15 and July 15, 2026, aligning with peak travel demand driven by school vacations, seasonal migration, and festival-related journeys. In total, 908 summer special trains have been sanctioned, together accounting for 18,262 trips aimed at easing congestion on key routes.

A significant portion of this capacity has already been activated. As per official data, 660 trains—covering 11,294 trips—have been notified, allowing passengers to begin advance bookings and plan travel ahead of the rush.

The move reflects a calibrated strategy by Indian Railways to distribute passenger load more evenly during high-demand months. By augmenting services well in advance, the railways aim to reduce waiting lists, improve seat availability, and ensure a more comfortable travel experience.

Officials indicate that the special trains will be deployed across major intercity and long-distance corridors, particularly those witnessing heavy seasonal traffic. The initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen operational preparedness and maintain service reliability during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

The scale of the rollout underscores Indian Railways’ continued reliance on advance planning and capacity augmentation to navigate cyclical demand spikes, a recurring challenge in one of the world’s largest rail networks.

Zone-Wise Details

The operation of summer special trains spans across all major zones of Indian Railways, ensuring balanced regional connectivity and efficient passenger handling:

  • South Central Railway leads with 124 trains (1,184 trips) approved and 76 trains (324 trips) notified.
  • Western Railway has approved 106 trains (2,078 trips) with 92 trains (1,667 trips) notified.
  • North Western Railway has approved 76 trains (2,245 trips) and with 62 trains (1,878 trips) notified.
  • Northern Railway has approved 76 trains (2,090 trips) with 56 trains (1,535 trips) notified.
  • Central Railway has approved 74 trains (3,082 trips) with 70 trains (2,238 trips) notified.
  • Southern Railway has approved 72 trains (558 trips) with 38 trains (133 trips) notified.
  • East Central Railway has approved 64 trains (2,711 trips) with 38 trains (1,060 trips) notified.
  • North Central Railway has approved 54 trains (1,163 trips) with 46 trains (688 trips) notified.
  • North Eastern Railway has approved 52 trains (814 trips) with 34 trains (477 trips) notified.
  • East Coast Railway has approved 28 trains (410 trips) with 18 trains (88 trips) notified.
  • West Central Railway has approved 28 trains (408 trips) with 18 trains (192 trips) notified.
  • Eastern Railway has approved 24 trains (392 trips) with 10 trains (276 trips) notified.
  • North Frontier Railway has approved 24 trains (220 trips) with 20 trains (141 trips) notified.
  • South Eastern Railway has approved 20 trains (276 trips) with 18 trains (250 trips) notified.
  • South East Central Railway has approved 10 trains (122 trips) with 8 trains (70 trips) notified.
  • South Western Railway has approved 76 trains (509 trips) with 56 trains (277 trips) notified.

Passenger Benefits:

The large-scale introduction of summer special trains is expected to significantly benefit passengers by:

  • Reducing waiting lists during peak travel season.
  • Providing additional berths and confirmed travel options.
  • Enhancing connectivity between major cities and regions.
  • Ensuring smoother and more comfortable journeys.

By deploying special trains across high-demand routes, Indian Railways is ensuring that passengers experience minimal inconvenience during the summer rush.

With timely planning and large-scale deployment of special train services, Indian Railways continues to prioritise passenger convenience and travel comfort. The extensive coverage across zones and the high number of notified trains reflect a strong commitment to meeting passenger demand efficiently and ensuring a hassle-free travel experience during the summer season.

 

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Indian Railways Clears ₹1,364 Crore for Kavach Signalling across Multiple Zones

 

 

Indian Railways Clears ₹1,364 Crore for Kavach Signalling across Multiple Zones

Indian Railways has approved projects worth ₹1,364.45 crore to strengthen safety, signalling and communication systems across multiple zones. The works include Kavach deployment on locomotives, optical fibre expansion and signalling upgrades. The approvals, part of the 2024–25 works programme, aim to improve operational safety and network efficiency.

What is Kavach

Kavach is an indigenous automatic train protection (ATP) system developed by Indian Railways to prevent train collisions and improve safety on the rail network. It is like an automatic braking and warning system that takes control if something goes wrong.

How Kavach works:

Kavach acts like a real-time safety shield for trains.

  • It uses radio communication and GPS to continuously track trains
  • It connects locomotives, tracks, and control centers
  • It constantly compares train speed and position with safe limits

 If a driver makes a mistake, Kavach automatically applies brakes to avoid accidents.

Where It Is Installed

Kavach works through a combination of systems:

  • Onboard equipment in locomotives
  • Trackside devices along railway lines
  • Station systems integrated with signalling
  • Central control systems monitoring operations

India’s national rail network is moving deeper into a technology-led safety upgrade, with a fresh round of approvals targeting both trains and trackside systems.

Indian Railways has sanctioned projects worth ₹1,364.45 crore covering locomotive safety equipment, communication backbone expansion and signalling modernisation across several key zones. The approvals are part of a broader capital programme focused on reducing risk, improving reliability and preparing the network for higher traffic density.

Kavach deployment on locomotives in Southern Railway

A key component of the package is the rollout of Kavach, the indigenous train collision avoidance system, across locomotives in Southern Railway.

The transporter has approved ₹208.81 crore for installing onboard Kavach equipment on 232 locomotives. The work falls under a larger umbrella programme titled “Provision of Kavach with communication backbone of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) on balance routes of Indian Railways (Umbrella Work 2024–25),” which carries an overall outlay of ₹27,693 crore.

Within this, Southern Railway has been allocated ₹2,950 crore. The current phase focuses on equipping locomotives with Kavach Version 4.0, which integrates real-time signalling inputs and automatic braking systems to prevent collisions.

Kavach has been positioned as a central pillar of railway safety strategy, especially on high-density routes where traffic frequency increases the risk of human error.

Optical fibre expansion strengthens communication backbone

Parallel investments are being made to upgrade the communication systems that support modern signalling and safety technologies.

In Northern Railway, three projects worth ₹400.86 crore have been approved to expand the optical fibre cable network. These works fall under a separate umbrella programme for strengthening and replacing communication backbone infrastructure, with a total approved cost of ₹4,871 crore.

A sub-allocation of ₹871 crore has been earmarked for the zone.

The approved works include installation of 2×48 fibre cables across 926.05 route kilometres in Ambala Division, 1,204 route kilometres in Delhi Division along with station-level OFC rooms, and 1,074 route kilometres in Lucknow Division.

The upgrades are designed to improve bandwidth, reliability and redundancy in communication systems, which are critical for both signalling operations and Kavach deployment.

OFC network expansion in North Central Railway

Further expansion of the fibre network is planned in North Central Railway, where ₹176.77 crore has been approved for laying 2×48 fibre OFC cables across 2,196 route kilometres.

The work is split across major divisions, including 1,016 kilometres in Prayagraj, 709 kilometres in Jhansi and 471 kilometres in Agra.

This project is part of the same communication backbone programme and is supported by a ₹200 crore sub-allocation for the zone.

Officials say the expansion will support high-density routes where real-time communication between trains and control systems is essential for safe operations.

Electronic interlocking upgrades in South Central Railway

Signalling systems are also being upgraded through a shift from older panel interlocking systems to electronic interlocking.

In South Central Railway, projects worth ₹578.02 crore have been approved to replace panel interlocking at 49 stations.

The works include upgrades at 35 stations in Guntakal Division and 14 stations in Nanded Division, both located on high-density and highly utilised routes.

These projects fall under an umbrella programme for electronic interlocking, which has an overall cost of ₹15,164 crore.

Electronic interlocking systems reduce manual intervention and improve the precision and reliability of train routing decisions. They are also better suited for integration with automated safety systems such as Kavach.

Network-wide push toward safer, more efficient operations

The latest approvals reflect a layered approach to railway modernisation, combining onboard safety systems, trackside communication upgrades and signalling improvements.

Each component supports the others. Kavach relies on robust communication networks, while modern signalling systems ensure accurate data flow and control.

Indian Railways has been scaling up these technologies as part of its long-term strategy to handle increasing passenger and freight demand without compromising safety.

The ₹1,364 crore package represents a targeted investment across zones, but it also fits into a much larger national effort to upgrade infrastructure, reduce accidents and improve operational efficiency.

As these systems are deployed, the network is expected to move closer to a model where technology plays a central role in preventing errors and managing traffic at scale.

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Indian Railways records best ever cargo loading in August’22

Indian Railways has recorded best ever August Monthly freight loading of 119.32 MT in August’22. The incremental loading in the month of August has been 8.69 MT i.e. a growth of 7.86 % over the previous best August figures achieved in 2021. With this, Indian Railways has had 24 straight months of best ever monthly freight loading.

IR has achieved an incremental loading of 9.2 MT in Coal, followed by 0.71 MT in Fertilizer, 0.68 MT in Balance other goods and 0.62 MT Containers. Increase in automobile loading has been another highlight of Freight Business in FY 2022-23 and 2206 rakes have been loaded in FY 2022-23 till August as compared to 1314 rakes during the same period of last year i.e. a growth of 68%.

The cumulative freight loading from 1st April’2022 to 31st August ’2022 has been 620.87 MT as against 562.75 MT achieved in 2021-22 i.e. an incremental loading of 58.11 MT, with a growth of 10.32 % over same period last year.

The freight NTKMs (Net tonne kilometers) have increased from 63 Billion in August ’21 to 73 Billion in August’22 registering a growth of 16 %. The cumulative NTKMs in the first five months have also grown by 18.29 %.

 

Railways/Photo:en.wikipedia.org

The sustained efforts of Indian Railways to increase supply of Coal to Power houses, in close coordination with Ministry of Power and Coal, have been one of the key features of the freight performance in the month of August. The loading of Coal (both domestic and imported) to Power Houses has increased by 10.46 MT in August with 44.64 MT Coal being moved to Power houses as against 34.18 MT last year, i.e. a growth of 31%. Cumulatively, in the first five months of the year, IR has loaded more than 58.41 MT extra coal to Power Houses as compared to same period of last year, with a growth of more than 32%.

The commodity wise growth number show that IR has achieved impressive growth in almost all commodity segments with the following growth rates :

Indian Railways comes to the rescue of Bangalore traffic jams

In view of increasing bumper-to-bumper slow-moving Bangalore traffic during the peak hours, Indian Railways has come out with a plan to run suburban trains between Bengaluru-Whitefield section, in addition to 26 suburban trains introduced elsewhere in the city in the last one year.

The project, involving Rs 492.87 crore, has been approved for construction. The 25 km stretch will connect six stations–Bengaluru Cantonment, Bengaluru East, Baiyyapannahalli, Krishnarajapuram, Hoodi and Whitefield, to benefit an estimated 62,000 daily commuters in this section, said the railway ministry in a statement.

To be completed by 2021, the project will help to ease the traffic in the burgeoning IT hub area of whitefield. Currently, 146 trains are running from Bengaluru and 94 trains from Yesvantpur stations, and out of them 122 are essentially suburban trains catering the commuters in the vicinity of Bengaluru.

The Railways said four additional suburban services between KSR Bengaluru-Baiyyappanahalli and Baiyappanahalli-Bengaluru have been introduced.

Indian Railways has been on a fast track these days introducing fast and online tendering system for infrastructure and timely settlement of tenders.

"It is once again reiterated that all tenders should be finalised within the normal validity period," wrote the Railway Board to all its production units as well as other departments recently, urging to follow a fixed timeline for execution of every contract.

High Capacity Parcel Vans in Indian Railways

To meet the demand of full vehicle load perishable traffic, Indian Railways has developed High Capacity Parcel Vans (VPs) with a capacity of 23 Tonnes which are attached to passenger carrying trains subject to availability of room in train and operational feasibility. To facilitate transportation of milk through Rail, specially designed High Capacity Milk Tankers having capacity of 44.66 KL are run as Special trains. At present 3 Milk tanker trains are being run of which 2 trains are run by Gujarat Corporative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMFL) from Palanpur to Bhim Sen and other by Mother Dairy from Daund to Baraut.

In addition to this, Indian Railways also run special parcel train consisting of High Capacity Parcel Vans for transportation of fruits in bulk like Mango, Banana, Orange etc. on demand, on a fixed path between specific origin-destination stations. Railways supply rakes for transportation of fruits on indent basis.

For transportation of horticulture produce in container, Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has procured 98 Ventilated Isolated Containers specially designed for movement of fruits and vegetables.

Indian Railways Pondering ‘Subsidy’ Give Up Scheme on Tickets

Indian Railways wants to emulate the example of “Give it Up” campaign that was behind 1 crore people giving up their subsidized gas connections before it was made mandatory for all those above the income level of Rs.10 lakhs per annum.

A senior railway official said the ministry is pondering the possibility of similar appeal that can dissuade those who can afford to forfeit claim for subsidy in travel tickets.

“Passengers will have the option to forgo either 100 per cent of the subsidy or 50 per cent or to avail of the subsidy. It will be a voluntary decision,” said the official.

The idea surfaced when a passenger Krishen Kher returned Rs.950 subsidy for his trip sending a cheque to online reservation entity IRCTC. It hit upon them that many people may come forward to renounce any subsidy and save the differential amount of the actual fare, which comes to 57 per cent of each ticket and 40% on suburban rail tickets.

The annual subsidy comes to around Rs.30,000 crore for the Railways. “We expect people who are well off to forgo the subsidy, as details of this are already printed on tickets,” said the official.

The ministry has recently roped in the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy on undertaking efforts to reduce its subsidy burden, following the 2015 Bibek Debroy committee report to go corporate way. In 2016-17 Indian Railways had posted its worst ever operating ratio in 16 years at 96.9 per cent.

Another international consultancy has been asked to design a performance index to measure the country’s largest transportation entity and public sector undertaking (PSU) instead of operating ratio.

If performance comes into reckoning, then railways should increase their frequency of trains on profitable routes and limit them on unprofitable routes. Secondly, the government officials and representatives will have to forfeit their subsidized ticket fares for higher class travel.

Many committees had commissions have recommended Indian Railways to go the corporate way but the Indian government is unable to implement them in view of backlash and huge ticket-less travel reported in states such as Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.