Lok Sabha Question No. 2271 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-02
Subject: Refund of Cancelled Tickets
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Vijay Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2271

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2023

## REFUND OF CANCELLED TICKETS

## † 2271. SHRI VIJAY KUMAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any alternate plans for the passengers of  mail  and  express  trains  who  have  to  travel  by  sitting near the toilet door on waiting ticket, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the reasons for issuing so many waiting list tickets by the  Indian Railways, if it does not have the capacity to confirm the same;
- (c) whether after the automatic cancellation of an online ticket, often the  money  for  the  online  waiting  ticket  is  not  refunded  unless  a complaint is registered through the customer care, if so, the reasons therefor;
- (d)  whether  many  a  times  money  gets  deducted  from  the  account while  booking  a  ticket  online  but  the  ticket  is  not  booked  and  that money is refunded only after a week;
- (e) if  so,  the  options available to the passengers if they have  limited money and the journey is unavoidable; and
- (f) the reasons for discontinuing a special bogie for the Indian Army in the trains?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

*******

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2271  BY  SHRI  VIJAY  KUMAR  TO  BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  02.08.2023  REGARDING  REFUND  OF CANCELLED TICKETS. (a)  &  (b):  On  Indian  Railways,  occupancy  pattern  of  trains  is  not uniform throughout the year and it varies over lean and peak periods. During  peak  rush  periods,  the  occupancy  of  the  trains  especially  on popular  routes  remains  full  whereas  during  lean  period  and  on  less popular routes, there is sub optimal utilization. Waiting list tickets are issued to take care of reserved accommodation going vacant against cancellation of confirmed accommodation, avoid chances of passengers  being  turned  away  by  booking  clerks  on  account  of accommodation being exhausted and to help Railways to assess the demand pattern. Waiting  list  position  of  the  trains  running  on  Indian Railways  is  monitored  on  regular  basis  and  to  cater  to  additional demand, load of existing trains are augmented, special trains are run, new  trains  are  introduced,  frequency  of  existing  trains  is  increased etc. subject to operational feasibility. (c): As soon as the ticket, in which status of all the passengers is on waiting  list  at  the  time  of  preparation  of  first  reservation  charts,  is automatically cancelled, auto refund is initiated and refund is advised to the bank on the next day.

(d):  If  money  is  debited  and  ticket  is  not  booked,  automatic  refund process is initiated by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on the following day. Refund amount is advised to the  Payment  Gateway/bank  through  which  booking  amount  was received.  Normally  bank  takes  time  to  process  refund  as  per  the following mode of transaction-

- i. For Net banking/Wallet/Cash Card transaction 3-4 business days.

ii. For Credit card/Debit card transaction 6-7 business days. (e): Passenger can avail Book Now Pay Later option available in Mobile App and EMI option available in the website as payment option. (f): Instructions already available on this account have been reiterated to all zonal Railways that expeditious clearance of police, paramilitary and armed forces should be ensured by attaching additional coach/coaches  to  trains  and/or  by  earmarking  train  service  second class coach(es), subject to feasibility, so long as they hold valid travel authority. *******