After revamping phone enquiry services, the Indian Railways is now planning to overhaul and integrate its web services. The railway ministry proposes to integrate all its websites into one single portal.
The most important facility on the portal would be a new feature of e-auction of passenger berths and wagon booking, a big step forward for the railways. The railways have already started e-auction of coal and scrap, which has helped bring in transparency as well as increased efficiency.
Online auction of passenger berths and wagons would ensure higher occupancy for the railways and increase both its passenger and freight traffic ?a problem that is coming up again for the railways.
Higher occupancy would also help the railways earn higher revenue. Normally passenger seats and wagons both remain unoccupied in the lean season, while wagons also remain vacant in the ?empty flow direction?.
This turns into a source of revenue leakage for the railways. E-auction would also help the railways leverage itself well against airlines, which it feels is its biggest competitor. Under the system, there will be a floor price for berths and wagons. Customers would be expected to bid online and the highest bidder would be the berth or wagon of his choice. The floor price would be lower than the normal rate of the ticket or freight and would so help railways to attract more customers. The floor price would be based on demand and supply.
?The common portal will provide all facilities available on features different railway websites such as buying tickets, booking retiring rooms and wagons as well as e-auction features,? RB Das group general manager (FOIS) of the Centre of Railway Information Systems (CRIS).
Speaking on the sidelines of the BEA World 2007 at Shanghai, Das added, ?We hope to have the integrated portal available by sometime next year. We have already started work on the project and are in the process of preparing a tender for the project.?