2 min readJun 28, 2026 06:01 PM IST
Closure of railway reservation counters over Sealdah Division: Indian Railways (IR) has decided to permanently close computerised reservation counters, also known as Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters, at eight stations under the Sealdah Division from July 1. These counters facilitate the booking of reserved tickets for both long-distance and short-distance trains. The Sealdah Division falls under the administrative jurisdiction of the Eastern Railway (ER) zone.
Apart from booking reserved train tickets, PRS counters also allow passengers to modify or cancel their bookings and enquire about seat availability on specific trains.
Indian Railways’ internet ticket booking service was launched in 2002. In recent years, the share of e-ticketing has increased to more than 87 per cent of total reserved tickets booked on the IR network.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the digital arm of IR, manages the advanced e-ticketing system for train bookings, PNR status checks, as well as catering and hospitality services at stations.
Railways to permanently close PRS counters at 8 Sealdah Division stations – Full list
In a statement, Eastern Railway said the PRS counters at eight stations will remain operational until June 30, 2026, and will be permanently closed from July 1, 2026. These stations are: Agarpara, Titagarh, Jagaddal, Birati, Ashok Nagar Road, Machhalandapur, Dhakuria and New Alipur.
Indian Railways Passenger Reservation System
Introduced in 1986, Indian Railways’ Passenger Reservation System (PRS) has undergone several upgrades over the past four decades. The national transporter has now expanded the system’s capacity by utilising various technologies.
Launched in 2025, Indian Railways’ super app RailOne now uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide more accurate predictions on ticket confirmations. When a user books a ticket, the app indicates whether a waitlisted ticket is likely to get confirmed or not.
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Now, the national transporter is set to roll out a new IRCTC website in July. Earlier, speaking to Indianexpress.com, a senior railway official said that the new IRCTC website is expected to feature advanced, faster and modern functions aimed at enhancing the overall user experience.
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