What is Indian Railways VIKALP scheme? If your train ticket is on waiting list, you should know this

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corp (IRCTC) has from time to time introduced various facilities for train passengers in making their journey enjoyable. The Indian Railways catering service provider has taken care of passengers booking their tatkal tickets to reserved ones as well. But many of us are not even aware of a scheme launched by IRCTC namely ‘VIKALP’, which takes care of passengers who are under waiting list. Being under a waiting list is very common for those who travel frequently by trains, and there have been times when, despite booking tickets one month or weeks prior to departure, we sometimes do end up under  the waiting list category. Indian Railways VIKALP scheme is the solution. 

In case your train ticket goes into the waiting list, here’s what you need to know about VIKALP scheme. 

• The scheme is applicable to all waiting list passengers irrespective of booking quota and concession.
• Under this scheme, passengers will opt max 5 trains for VIKALP scheme.
• VIKALP opted passengers who booked in waiting and remain fully Wait listed after charting will only be considered for allotment in the alternate train.
• Fully WL passengers opted for VIKALP should check PNR status after charting.
• No extra charges shall be taken from passenger or any refund shall be provided for difference of fare.
• Either all passengers of a PNR or none will be transferred to alternate train in same class. The passenger can be considered for shifting to a train leaving from any station amongst the cluster of stations defined by Railways based on the convenience of the passengers to a station serving the destination station on the same analogy.
• The VIKALP opted passengers who have been provided accommodation in the alternate train will not figure in the wait listed charts of their original train. A separate list of passengers transferred in alternate train will be pasted along with the CONFIRMED and WAITLIST charts.
• The passenger allotted alternate accommodation can travel in the alternate train on authority of original ERS/SMS.
• In rare situations, passengers who have been provided alternate accommodation might get dropped/re-allotted in alternate train due to last minute change in composition of the alternate train at the time of chart preparation. So, passengers who have been provided alternate accommodation should check PNR status also after preparation of charts of the alternate train for final status.
• Train list once selected under VIKALP scheme cannot be changed.
• VIKALP Scheme once successfully opted cannot be changed.