Indian Railways is talking with telecom service providers BSNL and Bharti to set up a GSM network along its main routes of railways in India. The device would be pocket sized computer with a small visual display and miniature keyboard, will transmit information through the GSM network.
Central Government will set up the system for Centre Railways Information System (CRIS). According to the plan, travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) in reserved coaches will get devices to enter the details of the current reservation position, coach-wise and berthwise. The device will link to the central passenger reservation system (PRS), which in-turn allots vacant berths to passengers on the waiting list, at the next station. The network will enable functioning of a real-time system of rail reservations announced in the Budget. Initially Indian Railways will implement the system on Shatabdis between New Delhi and Amritsar, New Delhi and Dehradun and New Delhi and Ajmer next year.