HRTC online booking a flop show?

41

By: Mohit Behl

Dharamsala: Himachal Road Transport Corporation’s online booking website appears to be a flop show as most of the users have reported many bugs while navigating the website.

While the least a person making an online ticket booking expects is technical snag in the website, the HRTC portal offers just that. Sachin Sharma, a travel agent in Dharamsala claimed that after booking one ticket on this site the login expires and one has to register again for making new booking. “Moreover, HRTC has started charging 2.5 % extra on online booking of tickets. Considering all the things, our company has stopped booking tickets from this site,” he said. Vijay Karan, an hotelier, claimed that online tickets are not fully refundable at the HRTC counters and attract a high penalty of 50% of the ticket amount.

Ashwani Kumar, a resident of village Fatehpur near Dharamsala, claimed that after registration if you book a ticket at once, the next time the system won’t log you in, and when you try to retrieve the password, the system sends you strange passwords.
When this reporter tried to log in using the actual password, the website denied access. So consider this scenario: You manage to get a ticket booked online and then you wish to get it cancelled. How about losing Rs 500 from the 1,000 bucks you paid if you cancel at the counter?

When this reporter talked to one of the technical officers at the online booking helpline in Shimla, I was told there is nothing wrong with the site.

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41 COMMENTS

  1. Interesting a friend of mine recently lost more than 2000 Rs/- as HRTC counter in Shimla denied any refund for bookings made online.

    • This is not an issue with this site only but with every web site of Himachal Government. I think Himachal Government and its Information Technology Project implementors have not taken things seriously resulting in common public to suffer. They need much skilled professionals and efficient Project Management techniques to established IT for the Citizens of the state. Thats why Lokmitra Project is getting delayed.I think there is no co-ordination between the government departments for implementing IT in the state.
      Actually every one have taken things for granted.This attitude of the government and the officers of the IT department needs to be changed. Otherwise the results will be in front of you "HRTC's website"

    • this is a suprise…I was one of the first person to book a ticket online and have booked it at least 10-12 times
      without a glitch. It's disappointing to hear about the bugs.

      • hey ISHAN , i think you might be among the only lucky ones to have done it without any problem. else everybody out here has had a botter experience including me

  2. Interesting a friend of mine recently lost more than 2000 Rs/- as HRTC counter in Shimla denied any refund for bookings made online.

    • This is not an issue with this site only but with every web site of Himachal Government. I think Himachal Government and its Information Technology Project implementors have not taken things seriously resulting in common public to suffer. They need much skilled professionals and efficient Project Management techniques to established IT for the Citizens of the state. Thats why Lokmitra Project is getting delayed.I think there is no co-ordination between the government departments for implementing IT in the state.

      Actually every one have taken things for granted.This attitude of the government and the officers of the IT department needs to be changed. Otherwise the results will be in front of you "HRTC's website"

    • this is a suprise…I was one of the first person to book a ticket online and have booked it at least 10-12 times

      without a glitch. It's disappointing to hear about the bugs.

      • hey ISHAN , i think you might be among the only lucky ones to have done it without any problem. else everybody out here has had a botter experience including me

  3. You Bet !! HRTC has launched Volvo but is not able to back it up with service, as one would expect from a state transport that thrives on tourism. Once the driver and conductor did not know how to change a flat tyre and on top of that their tool kits were of TATA bus. One cant be too sure of boarding a Volvo even after buying a ticket as break downs have become a recurring phenomenon. The back buses are range from TATA AC or an ordinary NON AC deluxe. It seems HRTC has kept a limited quota of 10 seats that can be booked online.. at least there are a few passengers who are saved from the constant supply of new passwords and no refunds 😉

  4. You Bet !! HRTC has launched Volvo but is not able to back it up with service, as one would expect from a state transport that thrives on tourism. Once the driver and conductor did not know how to change a flat tyre and on top of that their tool kits were of TATA bus. One cant be too sure of boarding a Volvo even after buying a ticket as break downs have become a recurring phenomenon. The back buses are range from TATA AC or an ordinary NON AC deluxe. It seems HRTC has kept a limited quota of 10 seats that can be booked online.. at least there are a few passengers who are saved from the constant supply of new passwords and no refunds 😉

  5. HRTC ARE CHEATS , I BOOKED ONLINE TICKETS & WHEN I WAANTED TO CANCEL THE TICKET I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO IT , WHEN I WENT TO THE COUNBTER AT DHARAMSHALA BUS STAND THEYU DID NOT PAY ME THE MONEY, THE KHIRKI WALA ASKED ME TO SELL THEM TO SOME STANDING BY PEOPLE & I SOLD THEM TO ONE OF THE PEOPLE FOR HALF THE PRICE !!!!!!!!!!!!! AND AFTER THAT DAY I HAVE STOPPED BOOKING ONLINE TICKETS

    • Yes, I am Totally agree HRTC making people fool. by give Ad on buses. To seat in HRTC get Ready for Waste TIME.

      First:- Specially in long Route buses stops like local Private Bus.
      Second:- Over Loading, Third :- Fourth:- Regular Tyre puncture And Technical Failure.
      Fivth:- No Relaxation of Senior citizen. Sixth:- Driver Conductor purchasing Alchol and Smoking during Bus travel. Seventh:- New trend start in HRTC long route buses, giving used Tickets to passenger .

      HRTC Minsitry has to get attention about this because people are giving More Fare but Service Quality is low class. HRTC needs for Technical modernisation in BUS coaches, passenger load and BUS TIME (reach/ Departure deadline) Like Long route HARYANA Roadways/ CTU. I Love Himachal but only We people can do voilence then only changes can done.

  6. HRTC ARE CHEATS , I BOOKED ONLINE TICKETS & WHEN I WAANTED TO CANCEL THE TICKET I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO IT , WHEN I WENT TO THE COUNBTER AT DHARAMSHALA BUS STAND THEYU DID NOT PAY ME THE MONEY, THE KHIRKI WALA ASKED ME TO SELL THEM TO SOME STANDING BY PEOPLE & I SOLD THEM TO ONE OF THE PEOPLE FOR HALF THE PRICE !!!!!!!!!!!!! AND AFTER THAT DAY I HAVE STOPPED BOOKING ONLINE TICKETS

    • Yes, I am Totally agree HRTC making people fool. by give Ad on buses. To seat in HRTC get Ready for Waste TIME.

      First:- Specially in long Route buses stops like local Private Bus.

      Second:- Over Loading, Third :- Fourth:- Regular Tyre puncture And Technical Failure.

      Fivth:- No Relaxation of Senior citizen. Sixth:- Driver Conductor purchasing Alchol and Smoking during Bus travel. Seventh:- New trend start in HRTC long route buses, giving used Tickets to passenger .

      HRTC Minsitry has to get attention about this because people are giving More Fare but Service Quality is low class. HRTC needs for Technical modernisation in BUS coaches, passenger load and BUS TIME (reach/ Departure deadline) Like Long route HARYANA Roadways/ CTU. I Love Himachal but only We people can do voilence then only changes can done.

  7. All HP websites are not at all good.. I seem they are having some tieup with same webdevelopers, i have sent so many emails to contacts persons, but they normally respond .. so many time i have found bugs in there sites .. no they dont care .. I wish people should not be allowed to host websites if they are not able to maintain it

  8. All HP websites are not at all good.. I seem they are having some tieup with same webdevelopers, i have sent so many emails to contacts persons, but they normally respond .. so many time i have found bugs in there sites .. no they dont care .. I wish people should not be allowed to host websites if they are not able to maintain it

  9. HRTC website is a joke. Would you believe that the time table on the site is the same as when the site was launched. New buses have not been added and at times the timings of the buses is mentioned wrong on most of the routes. There is no point of mentioning a time table on site when it is not updated. After writing repeatedly to the HRTC authorities it was taken off from the site a year back but after two months the same time table was uploaded again!! So much to speak of the IT implementation in this organisation.

    One main reason, tickets booked online are not refunded on counter is HRTC is not able to devise a way of processing the refund as online payments (while making bookings) are made through payment gateway. These must be credited to there main head office branch. Now the babu sitting in Dharamshala will not be able to refund from his imprest since no such system has been devised.

    The biggest flaw in advance booking system (non web based bookings) of HRTC is they still do not offer a return advance ticket at the counters. From Shimla, I cannot book a return ticket from Delhi in an ordinary bus. Why?? Simply because they are not ready to share their inventory of seats online. There can be many reasons, but I believe technology cannot be a primary reason in this day and age. The tanka system is common in HRTC and any form of inventory management will spell doom for many in this organisation. My personal experience with HRTC while sending a courier ended up in a tanka for the conductor.

    HRTC can learn from the HPTDC reservation system where the entire inventory of bus seats (and hotel rooms) is available online. One can book any ticket on any of their long route buses. Besides making the booking process easier, it will definitely increase their overall seat inventory utilization. Once their is a single process of booking tickets, process for refunds will automatically stream line.

    The challenge here is who will the bell cat in HRTC. The minister here is happy with his lal-batti, the officers busy calculating their pay and allowances and securing a plum posting!!

  10. HRTC website is a joke. Would you believe that the time table on the site is the same as when the site was launched. New buses have not been added and at times the timings of the buses is mentioned wrong on most of the routes. There is no point of mentioning a time table on site when it is not updated. After writing repeatedly to the HRTC authorities it was taken off from the site a year back but after two months the same time table was uploaded again!! So much to speak of the IT implementation in this organisation.

    One main reason, tickets booked online are not refunded on counter is HRTC is not able to devise a way of processing the refund as online payments (while making bookings) are made through payment gateway. These must be credited to there main head office branch. Now the babu sitting in Dharamshala will not be able to refund from his imprest since no such system has been devised.

    The biggest flaw in advance booking system (non web based bookings) of HRTC is they still do not offer a return advance ticket at the counters. From Shimla, I cannot book a return ticket from Delhi in an ordinary bus. Why?? Simply because they are not ready to share their inventory of seats online. There can be many reasons, but I believe technology cannot be a primary reason in this day and age. The tanka system is common in HRTC and any form of inventory management will spell doom for many in this organisation. My personal experience with HRTC while sending a courier ended up in a tanka for the conductor.

    HRTC can learn from the HPTDC reservation system where the entire inventory of bus seats (and hotel rooms) is available online. One can book any ticket on any of their long route buses. Besides making the booking process easier, it will definitely increase their overall seat inventory utilization. Once their is a single process of booking tickets, process for refunds will automatically stream line.

    The challenge here is who will the bell cat in HRTC. The minister here is happy with his lal-batti, the officers busy calculating their pay and allowances and securing a plum posting!!

  11. Most of the websites have broken links and are being developed by trainees who just do their stuff to get the project completion report. Sites are so SEO non friendly that you can't even find the information posted on Govt. websites on 3rd page of search results.

  12. Most of the websites have broken links and are being developed by trainees who just do their stuff to get the project completion report. Sites are so SEO non friendly that you can't even find the information posted on Govt. websites on 3rd page of search results.

  13. ITS REALLY VERY STRANGE , HRTC IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SOURCE OF H.P GOVT'S INCOME , EVEN THEN ITS INFRASTRCUTURE IS IN SORRY STATE ! THIS REALLY IS A MATTER OF CONCERN

  14. ITS REALLY VERY STRANGE , HRTC IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SOURCE OF H.P GOVT'S INCOME , EVEN THEN ITS INFRASTRCUTURE IS IN SORRY STATE ! THIS REALLY IS A MATTER OF CONCERN

  15. I was about to register for online registration system, it is throwing up errors again and again. Read up Himvani review and now I think, for this to work, one will have to wait.
    Maybe someone from HRTC should visit railway booking system IRCTC and see how they can learn a lesson or two.
    In fact, they should explore the possibility of outsourcing its entire inventory to http://www.redbus.in which is doing it very successfully for private operators across India.

    I am sure many people would be ready to pay 10-20 rs per ticket as service charge.

    Tenzin

    • I still am not able to use the online booking as it is very confusing. The problem with the govt. organisations is the "we know all" attitude. As commented above, the sites are prepared by trainees. Apart from Redbus, every major operator would die to have HRTC bus inventory. And it is no rocket science. One can take live inventory from there database. The only thing required is some willingness.

      Why does one have to register on the website? Instead they can have a cell phone verification process and additionally they will have a database of contact number of their users. 

      Some one need to tell HRTC that is year 2010,  ten years in the twenty first century. Please look at what Andhra and Karnataka has done on E-governance front. 

  16. I was about to register for online registration system, it is throwing up errors again and again. Read up Himvani review and now I think, for this to work, one will have to wait.

    Maybe someone from HRTC should visit railway booking system IRCTC and see how they can learn a lesson or two.

    In fact, they should explore the possibility of outsourcing its entire inventory to http://www.redbus.in which is doing it very successfully for private operators across India.

    I am sure many people would be ready to pay 10-20 rs per ticket as service charge.

    Tenzin

    • I still am not able to use the online booking as it is very confusing. The problem with the govt. organisations is the "we know all" attitude. As commented above, the sites are prepared by trainees. Apart from Redbus, every major operator would die to have HRTC bus inventory. And it is no rocket science. One can take live inventory from there database. The only thing required is some willingness.

      Why does one have to register on the website? Instead they can have a cell phone verification process and additionally they will have a database of contact number of their users. 

      Some one need to tell HRTC that is year 2010,  ten years in the twenty first century. Please look at what Andhra and Karnataka has done on E-governance front. 

  17. Yes, I am Totally agree HRTC making people fool. by give Ad on buses. To seat in HRTC get Ready for Waste TIME.
    First:- Specially in long Route buses stops like local Private Bus.
    Second:- Over Loading, Third :- Fourth:- Regular Tyre puncture And Technical Failure.
    Fivth:- No Relaxation of Senior citizen. Sixth:- Driver Conductor purchasing Alchol and Smoking during Bus travel. Seventh:- New trend start in HRTC long route buses, giving used Tickets to passenger .
    HRTC Minsitry has to get attention about this because people are giving More Fare but Service Quality is low class. HRTC needs for Technical modernisation in BUS coaches, passenger load and BUS TIME (reach/ Departure deadline) Like Long route HARYANA Roadways/ CTU. I Love Himachal but only We people can do voilence then only changes can done.

  18. recently i got problem with booking . I booked 2 tickets for volvo Delhi to manali on HRTC online booking. An ammoumt of Rs. 2050 deducted from my bank account but I didn’t received any information of my booking ( Eticket copy / Email/ Code number ) and my account on HRTC shows no ticket booking history. Can anyone help me to sort out this problem ( how to access booked ticket )
    Thanks in advance

  19. I agree. I traveled in deluxe tata bus. but nothing was deluxe about it. The Fans were broken, Seats were perished. There was no TV as indiccated on site and even on bus’Video Coach’ Bus got punctured twice on way to UNA. Driver purchased Soap and Liquor on the way. Smoked all the way through. Horrible experience. Better to have Volvo upto Chandigarh and change ordinary from there

  20. HRTC website is the one of the useless site which i visted ever.More i surprised when I booked a online ticket bilaspur to jammu . When i sit in to the bus the conductor refused to accept the online ticket and said this is not a ticket and start showing me counter booked ticket for the example of ticket .He told me either to pay or get out of the bus. After detailed discussion i agreed him that hrtc tickets can be booked online . this is so strange thing that even hrtc conductors dont know about the online tickets ,then which knd

  21. i have booked an ordinary hrtc bus ticket for 14 aug 2014
    from delhi to nadaun at 8:45 pm
    Money got deducted from account.
    but I didn’t received any information of my booking ( Eticket copy / Email/ Code number ) and my account on HRTC shows no ticket booking history. Can anyone help me to sort out this problem ( how to access booked ticket )

  22. Last year on june i booked a ticket from Palampur to Delhi, it worked fine.. but after that i tried so many times but could not book tickets online from this website..

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