The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is innovating its ticketing system by introducing nonfungible token (NFT) train tickets for passengers of two semi-high-speed trains launched between Lucknow and Delhi. These NFT tickets will be available exclusively for journeys between March 20th and April 2nd, coinciding with the Hindu festival of Holi. With this initiative, IRCTC aims to offer travelers a unique and culturally rich experience while leveraging blockchain technology.
Passengers traveling on the Tejas Express 82501 and 82502 trains will receive these digital tickets in the form of NFTs, which represent a significant departure from traditional paper or electronic tickets. According to IRCTC, these NFT tickets symbolize more than just travel documents; they serve as a celebration of the vibrant cultural heritage of both Lucknow and Delhi. By embracing NFT technology, India’s railway sector seeks to revolutionize the journey experience and add a touch of personalization to ticketing.
The collaboration between IRCTC and NFTtrace, a digitization platform, underscores the commitment to digitize ticketing operations and ensure transparency and authenticity through blockchain verification. NFTtrace will maintain a record of ticket purchases on the Hyperledger blockchain, utilizing smart contracts to manage the traceability process effectively. This initiative not only aligns with the spirit of Holi but also addresses practical concerns such as ticket forgery and misplacements.
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