Patna, March 6: Indian Railways has decided to launch its own e-ticket portal to cater to the needs of the passengers. The new portal is likely to be launched by May.

According to sources, the decision has been taken in the wake of frequent complaints of travel agents buying tickets in bulk, leading to unavailability of seats on the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website for legitimate passengers.

Patna IRCTC regional manager Anand Kumar Jha said the railways has asked the Centre for Railways Information Systems (CRIS) to make this new portal for e-ticketing.

“CRIS has already developed the software reservations of train tickets over the Internet. It is the brainchild of railway minister Mamata Banerjee,” said Jha.

CRIS has been asked to prepare a strategy to start an alternate website to provide e-ticket facilities.

Touts and travel agents often purchase tickets in fictitious names and sell them at a premium rate.

Earlier Indian Railway has barred agents from accessing e-booking portals to buy Tatkal or other advance tickets in the first hour of the day from 8am and 9am.

In addition to this, the railways has also decided to carry out special checks at all major reservation offices between 7.30am to 9am to prevent touts from buying seats in the first hour of the opening day of the advance reservation period.

Jha said: “The website portal is already ready and will be launched over the next two months. Booking of railway tickets through this website portal is cheaper. Rs 10 will be charged for AC seats and Rs 5 for others.”