Lok Sabha Question No. 1059 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-08
Subject: Income Generated by Cancellation of Tickets by IRCTC
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: M. K. Raghavan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1059 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2023

## INCOME GENERATED BY CANCELLATION OF TICKETS BY IRCTC

1059. SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  noticed  that  ticket  cancellation charges being charged by IRCTC is very high, if so, the details in this regard;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  any  data  regarding  the  income generated through cancellation of tickets by IRCTC and if so, the details regarding the same since 2019;
- (c) whether the Government has any plans to bring in changes to the monopoly of IRCTC in railway sector and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government plans to restore senior citizen reservation in trains and if so, the details of steps taken in this regard; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  to  expedite  the  station  development  project  at Kozhikode?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.1059  BY  SHRI  M.K.  RAGHAVAN  TO  BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  08.02.2023  REGARDING  INCOME GENERATED BY CANCELLATION OF TICKETS BY IRCTC

(a)  &  (b):  Cancellation/clerkage  charge  is  levied  on  cancellation  of tickets  as  per  Railway  Passengers  (Cancellation  of  Tickets  and Refund  of  Fare)  Rules  2015.  However,  in  addition  to  normal  fare indicated on the reserved tickets issued through computerized Passenger  Reservation  System  counters  of  Indian  Railways,  Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) realizes convenience fee from the passengers who book online reserved e-tickets through IRCTC e-ticketing platform which is as under:

| Class                            |   For Payment done using Net banking/Debit-Credit Card ( ` per ticket) |   For Payment done using UPI ( ` per ticket) |
|----------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| For air-conditioned classes      |                                                                     30 |                                           20 |
| For non-air- conditioned classes |                                                                     15 |                                           10 |

On cancellation of ticket, this convenience fee is not refunded. The details of convenience fee collected by IRCTC during financial years 2019-20 onwards is as under:-

| Year                 |   Convenience fee collected (in ` in crore) |
|----------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| 2019-2020            |                                      352.33 |
| 2020-2021            |                                      299.17 |
| 2021-2022            |                                      694.08 |
| 2022-2023 (till Dec) |                                      604.4  |

(c):  Cancellation/clerkage  charges  are  collected  by  IRCTC  based  on instructions issued by Railways from time to time. Moreover, reserved tickets can also be booked through computerised Passenger Reservation  System  (PRS)  counters  of  Indian  Railways  and  also through  authorised  ticketing  agents  engaged  for  issuing  reserved tickets.

(d): Indian Railways have extended various reservation related facilities  to  senior  citizens  which  include  earmarking  of  combined reservation  quota  for  senior  citizens,  female  passengers  above  the age  of  45  and  pregnant  women,  automatic  allotment  of  lower  berth subject to availability, etc. These facilities are continuing.

(e): Ministry of Railways have undertaken development of Kozhikode Railway  Station  under  Amrit  Bharat  Station  scheme.  The  work  has been  entrusted  to  Rail  Land  Development  Authority  (RLDA).  Techno Economic feasibility studies for the same has been initiated.

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