Book rail tickets via Sify iWay by paying cash

Sify, an Internet and e-commerce services provider, today entered into a tie-up with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to enable customers book rail tickets online against cash payment.

Earlier, e-bookings from IRCTC’s website were available to customers who had a credit card or a net banking facility (cash card option), which limited the e-booking facility to only 25,000 customers.

Customers will now be able to access the service from Sify’s 3,400 iWay cyber cafes across 154 cities in India, Raju Vegesna, MD and CEO of Sify said. "Initially, the online railway ticket services will be available on a pilot basis at around 10 iWays in Delhi with cash payments. We expect the process to be fully operational at all the 3,400 locations within six months."

On the issue of revenue-sharing, IRCTC MD P K Goel said: "A person will have to pay a total surcharge of Rs 40 on second-class, online booking out of which IRCTC would get Rs 25 and Sify would earn Rs 15. In case of II-tier and III-a/c tickets, the charges are Rs 65 of which IRCTC would get Rs 40 and Sify Rs 25. A person can book six tickets at a time with a single payment of surcharge."

The main aim of the initiative, Goel said, is to target people who do not have credit cards or net banking facility. "We expect to sell about one lakh e-tickets through the service in the next six months," he added.