Thousands of Indian Railways passengers faced massive disruptions on Tuesday as the IRCTC website and mobile application experienced widespread technical failures during the crucial Chhath Puja travel period. The outage created chaos among travelers attempting to book tickets for the popular festival season.
System Collapse During Peak Travel Demand
The technical breakdown occurred when passenger traffic was at its highest, with countless users trying to secure reservations for Chhath Puja journeys. Social media platforms quickly flooded with complaints from frustrated passengers who found themselves unable to access booking services or complete their transactions.
Passenger Outrage Erupts Online
Angry users took to various social media platforms to express their frustration. "IRCTC website is completely down when we need it the most during Chhath Puja," wrote one user, while another complained, "Tried for hours but the app keeps crashing during payment. This is ridiculous!"
Critical Timing During Festival Rush
The timing of the technical failure couldn't have been worse, coinciding with one of the busiest travel periods in Eastern India. Chhath Puja sees massive movement of passengers, particularly between states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, making reliable ticket booking services absolutely essential.
Common Complaints Reported by Users:
- Complete website unavailability and loading failures
- Mobile application crashes during payment processing
- Error messages during seat selection and booking confirmation
- Payment deductions without ticket generation
- Long waiting times and server timeouts
Historical Pattern of Technical Issues
This isn't the first time IRCTC's digital platforms have struggled during high-demand periods. The system has repeatedly faced challenges during major festivals and holiday seasons, raising questions about the infrastructure's capacity to handle peak traffic loads.
As of now, Indian Railways and IRCTC officials haven't released an official statement regarding the cause of the technical glitch or the expected resolution time. Passengers continue to refresh their browsers and applications, hoping for restoration of services as the festival travel window narrows.
