Indian Railways has updated the rules for booking train tickets under the Emergency Quota (EQ). This quota is reserved for passengers who need to travel urgently due to unforeseen situations such as medical emergencies, official duties, or personal crises.
The Railway Ministry recently issued a circular with the new guidelines. If you often rely on the emergency quota, it’s important to know how the rules have changed especially regarding timing for submitting requests.
What’s Changed in Emergency Quota Booking?
- For trains departing between 12:00 midnight and 2:00 PM, EQ requests must reach the emergency quota cell by 12:00 noon on the previous day.
- For trains departing between 2:01 PM and 11:59 PM, the EQ requests must be submitted by 4:00 PM on the previous day.
This means same-day emergency quota requests will no longer be accepted.
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Why Indian Railways Made the Change?
This change is part of Indian Railways’ plan to finalize the reservation charts 8 hours before train departure, instead of the earlier 4-hour timeline. The earlier chart preparation timings often led to last-minute delays in ticket allotment and boarding issues.
By streamlining EQ request timings, the Railways aims to:
- Avoid delays in chart preparation
- Ensure fair and timely seat allotment
- Reduce last-minute confusion for passengers
- Prevent delays in train departures
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What About Weekends and Holidays?
For Sundays and public holidays, passengers or officials must submit EQ requests on the last working day before the holiday, during regular office hours. This is especially important for trains leaving on Sunday or immediately after a holiday.
Who Uses Emergency Quota?
The Emergency Quota is primarily used by:
- VIPs and government officials
- Medical patients
- People with urgent or compassionate needs
- Railway staff on duty
The Railway Board says it receives a high number of EQ requests, and it tries to allocate these seats fairly and responsibly.
Final Note
The Ministry of Railways has urged all officers and forwarding authorities to ensure that only genuine requests are submitted. Misuse or delay in EQ requests could result in inconvenience for other passengers and even train delays.
These revised rules are now in effect, and passengers planning to apply under the emergency quota should plan accordingly and submit their requests on time.
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