Indian Railways' Computerized Passenger Reservation System

Abstract

Computerization of the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) is a key strategy in the corporate plan (1985- 2000) of the Indian Railways. As a part of this strategy, computerized PRS had been implemented in Delhi, Madras, Bombay and Calcutta by the end of 1988. The PRS in the second level cities of Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Lucknow and Bhopal are now to be computerized. This case focuses on Bangalore where the Railways had the option of setting up a remote system to the existing node at Madras or of providing for standalone computing facilities to implement the PRS. Communications and computing hardware and software requirements of the PRS for the two options are presented. Students are expected to evolve criteria for choice and provide the analysis for the appropriate computer configuration for implementing the computerized PRS at Bangalore.