The Indian Railways is expected to launch a super app consolidating passenger services by the end of December, according to officials familiar with the project.
The app, which is being developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), will integrate with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), these officials stated.
IRCTC would continue to serve as the interface between CRIS and passengers purchasing train tickets, and that integration between the super app and IRCTC is currently underway.
The app will provide a wide range of services, including booking passenger and platform tickets and checking train statuses, the official added. Presently, Indian Railways passengers use several different official apps and websites for services, such as IRCTC Rail Connect (for train ticket booking, modifications, and cancellations), IRCTC eCatering Food on Track (for in-seat food delivery), Rail Madad (for complaints and suggestions), UTS (for unreserved ticket bookings), and the National Train Enquiry System (for train status checks). Among these, IRCTC Rail Connect, with over 100 million downloads, is the most popular as it is the only platform for booking reserved tickets.
The official mentioned that IRCTC views the super app as an additional revenue stream and is currently upgrading its systems to enhance service quality. Private sector travel booking platforms also rely on IRCTC for train ticket bookings, further solidifying IRCTC's status as a dominant player since most reserved tickets are now booked online.
