IRCTC users trying to book train tickets today are facing repeated problems, with several passengers reporting that the website and app are either taking too long to load or showing an “Unable to Process Request” message during the booking process. The complaints have been particularly noticeable during the morning booking hours, when a large number of passengers try to secure seats at the same time. Many users have taken to social media to report that they were unable to complete their bookings even after making multiple attempts. Meanwhile, Indian Railways recorded its highest-ever daily passenger bookings, with 22.26 lakh tickets booked in a single day through the reservation system on September 7.Also Read: 'IRCTC not working': Train ticket booking users flood social media with 'unable to process request', say new website is 'worse than before'Why is IRCTC showing 'Unable to Process Request'?There has been no official explanation from Indian Railways or IRCTC so far on what is causing the problem. One possible reason could be the sharp increase in booking traffic as the festival travel season approaches.Advance booking for festival-period journeys has opened for several trains this week, prompting thousands of passengers to try to reserve tickets for their planned trips. When a large number of users access the reservation system simultaneously, the sudden surge in traffic can put considerable pressure on online ticketing infrastructure.This could potentially explain why some passengers are experiencing slow loading, failed requests and “Unable to Process Request” messages. However, this remains a possible explanation and not a confirmed reason for the current disruption. IRCTC or Indian Railways may clarify whether the booking rush has affected server capacity or whether the problem is linked to a separate technical issue.Why do users see the error when tickets are available?The frustration is greater for passengers who can see trains and available booking options but are unable to proceed with the reservation. In such cases, the problem may occur when the booking request is being processed by the system. A passenger may successfully search for a train, only to encounter an error while selecting a class, entering passenger details or moving towards payment.With thousands of people attempting to book limited seats at the same time, even a short delay can make a difference. By the time the system responds, the available quota may have already been booked. Several passengers have also complained that trains moved to “Regret” status after repeated loading or failed booking attempts.Festival bookings put pressure on IRCTCThe timing of the complaints is significant. The festival season is one of the busiest periods for Indian Railways, with large numbers of people travelling between cities and their hometowns. Passengers typically try to book tickets as soon as reservations open because seats on popular routes can disappear quickly. That creates a concentrated rush rather than normal traffic spread throughout the day.If thousands of users simultaneously search for trains, check availability and attempt to make payments, the system may experience a substantial spike in requests. A technical problem or capacity issue during such a period can therefore affect a large number of passengers at once.Users complain about both website and appThe complaints are not limited to the IRCTC website. Some passengers have also reported problems while using the IRCTC mobile app. Users have described repeated loading, pages failing to open and booking requests not going through. Others have questioned why they are unable to get a booking opportunity despite accessing the platform around the time reservations open. Some passengers have also raised concerns about the booking system being overwhelmed during both regular and Tatkal reservations.New IRCTC website launched recentlyThe timing is notable because IRCTC has only recently begun upgrading its ticket-booking infrastructure specifically to handle periods of heavy demand. IRCTC has also launched a new beta website with a simpler booking interface and easier access to seat-availability information. The upgrades were aimed at making the platform more reliable during peak booking periods such as Tatkal and the festival season.Is IRCTC completely down?Based on the user complaints, it would be inaccurate to conclude that IRCTC is completely down for everyone. Some users may still be able to access the website, search for trains or complete bookings, while others may encounter errors depending on traffic levels and the particular stage of the reservation process. A spike in complaints therefore does not necessarily mean that the entire IRCTC platform has stopped functioning.What has IRCTC said?At the time of publication, IRCTC and Indian Railways had not officially stated the reason for the booking problems. Therefore, claims that the platform is down specifically because of festival-season bookings should be treated as a possibility rather than a confirmed explanation.ET.com has reached out to IRCTC and railway officials for a response on the issue. This article will be updated once a response is received. The increased booking activity during the festival period, however, provides a plausible reason for the timing of the complaints. An official response from IRCTC would be needed to establish whether the current problems are related to server load, a technical fault, maintenance or another issue.For passengers trying to book festival-season tickets, the immediate problem remains the same: repeated failed requests can mean losing a seat while the system struggles to process the booking.