The digital assets industry in India marked a landmark day on March 13 after the NFT sector got a straightforward acknowledgement from the Indian railways. In a bid to celebrate the spirit of Holi, the IRCTC has unveiled colourful NFT tickets for two Tejas trains running between the cities of Delhi and Lucknow. The IRCTC or the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation is a central public sector enterprise governed by the Ministry of Railways in the country.
IRCTC unveiled the first look of these NFTs through its very active X handle. From the looks of it, these NFTs will show sketches of the historic landmarks of Delhi and Lucknow against colourfully shaded backdrops. Starting March 20, ticket buyers of Tejas trains numbered 82501 and 82502 will be eligible to get access to these NFTs. This initiative will conclude on April 2.
The NFTs also come with some benefits the IRCTC explained in its X post. It said, “These tickets are not merely digital souvenirs. They symbolise our dedication to enriching your journey experiences, allowing you to personalise your travel memories with your own photographs and enjoy exclusive offers from handpicked brands,”.
In the spirit of Holi, IRCTC unveils a vibrant tapestry of NFT tickets for the Lucknow-New Delhi-Lucknow IRCTC Tejas trains (82501/82502), available from March 20th to April 2nd.
These tickets are not merely digital souvenirs; they are a celebration of the rich cultural… pic.twitter.com/fsH0NwH2ZN
— IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) March 13, 2024
For now, the IRCTC has not officially confirmed if all ticket buyers will get these NFT tickets as a complimentary part of their purchases, or if they’d have to pay extra to avail these digital collectibles. NFTs are digital collectibles that are built on blockchain networks.
The Indian Railways has already been exploring the blockchain tech for enough time now that it is circulating NFTs as digital memorabilia. In March last year, for instance, the National Academy of Indian Railways launched a workshop to spread awareness around the benefits of blockchain in railway industries in partnership with Polygon.
In a bid to revolutionize Indian Railway operations, the National Academy of Indian Railways (@cproNAIR) launched a workshop to educate leaders on the benefits of exploring blockchain & emerging technology solutions in railway industries.
— Polygon | Aggregated (@0xPolygon) March 21, 2023
Earlier this year, IRCTC was offering tickets to Ayodhya in the form of NFTs.
“More than just a ticket to Ayodhya Dham- a souvenir of the divine Shree Ramotsav. Treasure the pious memories of Lord Shree Rama’s arrival forever, with Blockchain NFT,” IRCTC had said on a specially dedicated website at the time.
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