Online train ticket sales stopped for 5 days: Railway Minister

A new company is being attached to the activities if selling train tickets online. This service is being vested on Sahaj.com from the Computer Network Systems Limited (CNS). As a result, online train ticket sales will be closed from March 20 to 25. However, tickets will be sold at the counters during this period of time. This was stated by Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujon at the inaugural function of handing over online ticketing activities from CNS to Sahaj.com on Monday (March 14). At that time, the Railway Minister said, "So far we have been a hostage of CNS." Until now, we pay Taka three per ticket to CNS. But as per the five-year contract with Sahaj, we have to pay 25 paisa (Taka 0.25) in this contract. After overcoming many legal complications, we are now coming through a new way. Hopefully, from now on there will be no problem in online ticketing.” Since there is no scope to withhold the ticket issuance activities of Bangladesh Railway even for a single day; To keep this activity going, from 21st to 25th March, instead of issuing tickets online and through computer at the ticket counters for five days, 100% tickets will be issued manually. From March 26, the computerized ticketing system of Bangladesh Railway will be re-launched through Sahaj-Synesis-Vinsen JV (Sahaj). Advance tickets will be issued two days in advance instead of five days in manual mode and in this case all tickets will be open. No quota or seat reservation will apply, the minister added. It can be noted that, the computer based ticketing system was introduced in Bangladesh Railway in 1994. At that time tickets were issued through computer in 27 stations. At present, tickets for 104 intercity trains are being issued through computers at 77 stations. About 90,000 tickets a day and about 27 lakh tickets a month are being issued through computers. About 50 per cent of these tickets, i.e. about 13 lakh tickets are being issued through online/mobile app. CNS has been selling train tickets online since 2007. They had a 15-year contract with the Ministry of Railways, which ends on March 20. Eventually, a new tender was called and the ride sharing company Sahaj.com got the responsibility in that tender. Then on 15 February the Ministry of Railways signed an agreement with Sahaj. Under the agreement, Sahaj-Synesis-Vinsen JV will initially keep the existing CCSRTS system operational and will replace the CCSRTS system with 'BRITS' within the next 18 months.