Lok Sabha Question No. 662 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Revenue from Cancellation of Tickets
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: BHAGWANTH KHUBA, T.G. VENKATESH BABU, DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 662 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2017

## REVENUE FROM CANCELLATION OF TICKETS

662.    SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA: SHRI VENKATESH BABU T.G.: SHRI D.K. SURESH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Railways has earned huge amount of money through cancellation of reserved tickets, partly confirmed tickets and window waiting tickets;
- (b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years, year-wise;
- (c) whether it is proposed to extend the time schedule for cancellation of window waiting tickets and reduce the cancellation charges;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the above proposals are likely to be implemented; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

ANSWER ( SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. *****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 662  BY  SHRI  BHAGWANTH  KHUBA,  SHRI VENKATESH BABU T.G. AND SHRI D.K. SURESH  TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 19.07.2017 REGARDING REVENUE FROM CANCELLATION OF TICKETS

(a) & (b):  Total Cancellation/Clerkage charges collected on cancellation of  Confirmed,  RAC  (Reservation  against  cancellation)  and  waitlisted tickets during the last three years are as under:-

| Financial year   |   Total Cancellation/clerkage charges collected (Approx. ` in crore ) |
|------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2014-15          |                                                                   908 |
| 2015-16          |                                                                  1124 |
| 2016-17          |                                                                  1407 |

(c) & (d): At present, there is no such proposal under consideration.

(e):  Clerkage  and  cancellation  charge  are  levied  to  cover  the  cost  of service for issuing & cancellation of tickets which include cost of staff, heavy  investment  for  providing  booking/cancellation  facility  through internet and providing PRS counters even at smaller stations, maintenance cost of the systems etc. This also disincentivizes speculative  bookings.  Moreover  increase  in  clerkage  and  cancellation charges  has  no  effect  on  all  the  passengers  and  applies  only  to  the passengers who want to cancel the ticket.

As  regards  extension  of  time  limit  it  is  mentioned  that  to  facilitate cancellation of PRS counter tickets within the prescribed time limit the following facilities have been provided:-

(i)  From  May  2016,  Passenger  can  cancel  PRS  counter  tickets  through IRCTC website or through 139 within the prescribed time limit mentioned in the Refund Rule 2015 and refund amount can be collected across the counter  as  per  guidelines  issued  upto  the  prescribed  time  limit  on surrendering the original ticket.

(ii)  W.e.f 01.12.2015, PRS counter tickets can be cancelled at relatively smaller  stations  wherever  PRS  booking  facility  is  available  throughout the  day  and  refund  is  granted  beyond  the  working  hours  of  PRS counters/current counters within the prescribed time limit as per refund rule.

*****