Indian Railways to launch all-in-one travel app in December
The Indian Railways will launch an all-in-one mobile app by the end of December. The move comes as part of the effort to bring together different services like ticket booking, food delivery, train status, etc., under a single platform. The app is being developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and will be integrated with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
Super app to offer wide range of services
The upcoming super app will offer a range of services, including booking passenger and platform tickets as well as checking train status. Currently, passengers rely on multiple official apps/websites for these services. These include IRCTC Rail Connect for train ticket booking, modification, cancelation; IRCTC eCatering Food on Track for food delivery to train seats; Rail Madad for complaints/suggestions; UTS for booking unreserved train tickets; and National Train Enquiry System for checking train status.
IRCTC's role in the new super app
A senior official told ET that IRCTC will continue to be the interface between CRIS and passengers buying train tickets. The integration process between the upcoming super app and IRCTC is already in progress. This move comes as part of IRCTC's strategy to improve its services and boost revenue, as it considers the super app another potential source of income.
IRCTC's financial performance and ticketing monopoly
IRCTC's net profit for the fiscal year 2023-24 stood at ₹1,111.26 crore against a revenue of ₹4,270.18 crore. Ticketing accounted for 30.33% of this revenue by booking over 453 million tickets during the fiscal year, according to the company's annual report. The upcoming super app is likely to further boost these numbers by offering a more seamless platform for passengers to access various services under one roof.
