Lok Sabha Question No. 51 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-02
Subject: Charges on Tickets under Refund Rules
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: G. HARI, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 51

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.12.2015

## CHARGES ON TICKETS UNDER REFUND RULES

- *51.  SHRI  G. HARI: SHRI  SATAV RAJEEV:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways has doubled the charges levied on cancellation  of  tickets  and  made  the  refund  valid  only  till  four hours before the scheduled departure of train;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  amendments  made  in  the  ticket  reservation and refund rules and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the railways has reduced the window time for cancellation of tickets and if so, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the passengers are likely to be put to inconvenience in the aftermath of such rules; and
- (e) the corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in the interest of genuine train passengers?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS

) SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU)

- (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 STARRED QUESTION NO. 51 BY SHRI G. HARI AND SHRI SATAV RAJEEV TO BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  02.12.2015  REGARDING  CHARGES  ON TICKETS UNDER REFUND RULES

- (a)  to  (c)  With  effect  from  12.11.2015,  certain  provisions  of  Railway Passengers (Cancellation of tickets and refund of fare) Rules have been amended  and  comprehensive Railway Passengers (Cancellation of tickets  and  refund  of  fare)  Rules  2015  have  been  notified  through Gazette Notification G.S.R. 836(E). dated 04.11.2015.

The reasons for making the changes are to provide benefit to the passengers  as  well  as  check  misuse  of  refund  rules  by  unscrupulous elements as detailed below:

- (A) Benefits to Passengers:
- i)  Passengers  are  able  to  know  the  final  status  of  their  ticket  at least 4 hours in advance of the scheduled train departure time.
- ii)  The  berths  released due to cancellation now become available for booking to passengers till minutes before the actual departure of the train through internet as well as on the PRS counters at the station.
- iii) Passengers at enroute stations can get available accommodation  through  the  system  even  after  departure  of  the train from the originating station.
- iv)  Automatic  refund  of  e-tickets  for  cancelled  trains  has  been provided without requirement for filing of ticket deposit receipt.
- v)    The  revised  rules  will  catalyse  facility  of  Mobile  ticketing  (for PRS tickets) as well as issue of paperless tickets.
- vi) PRS counter tickets can now be cancelled at relatively smaller stations wherever PRS booking facility is available throughout the day  and  for  granting  refunds  beyond  the  working  hours  of  PRS counters/current counters.

vii) Touting activities/speculative booking by selling of berths at a premium at last minute to gullible passengers would be discouraged  since  no  refund  on  confirmed  ticket  is  permissible after four hours in advance of the scheduled departure of the train.

## (B)  Benefits to Railway:

- i)  Berths going vacant on account of last minute cancellations and after departure of the train are now eliminated.
2. ii) Vacant  berths  generated  on  account  of  cancellations are allotted  through  the  system  in  a  transparent  manner  instead  of being allotted by Ticket checking staff on the train.
3. iii) Bogus claims for refunds after travel get eliminated since refund after departure of the train are not permissible.
4. iv) Cancellation charges have been increased since it involves two transactions, namely, one for booking and another for cancellation. Clerkage  and  cancellation  charge  are  collected  to  cover  the operating cost of cancellation of tickets. Increases  in  these charges are expected to disincentivize speculative bookings also.

Important  changes  made  in  Railway  Passengers  (Cancellation  of tickets and refund of fare) Rules effective from 12.11.2015 are as under:-

| Sl No.   | Pre-revised                                                                                                                                                                                              | W.e.f. 12.11.2015                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.       | Clerkage charges                                                                                                                                                                                         | Clerkage charges                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|          | Levy of clerkage per passenger for cancellation of unreserved, RAC and waitlisted tickets was as under:- (i). Unreserved (second class): Rs. 15. (ii) Second class (reserved) and other classes: Rs. 30. | Levy of clerkage per passenger for cancellation of unreserved, RAC and waitlisted tickets are as under:- (i). Unreserved (second class): Rs. 30. (ii) Second class (reserved) and other classes: Rs. 60. |

| 2.    | Refund of fare on unused Confirmed (Reserved) tickets                                                                                                                                                                                      | Refund of fare on unused Confirmed (Reserved) tickets                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|-------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (i)   | 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, minimum cancellation charge was levied as under:- 1 st AC/executive class: Rs.120 2AC/1 st class : Rs.100 3AC/ACC/3A economy: Rs.90 Second sleeper class: Rs.60 Second class : Rs.30 | 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, minimum cancellation charge is levied as under:- 1 st AC/executive class: Rs.240 2AC/1 st class : Rs.200 3AC/ACC/3A economy: Rs.180 Second sleeper class: Rs.120 Second class : Rs.60. |
| (ii)  | Between 48 hours and 6 hours before the scheduled departure of the train cancellation charge was 25% of the fare subject to minimum charge as per (i) above.                                                                               | Between 48 hours and 12 hours before the scheduled departure of the train cancellation charge is 25% of the fare subject to minimum charge as per (i) above.                                                                                 |
| (iii) | Between 6 hours before the scheduled departure of the train and upto 2 hours after the actual departure of the train, cancellation charge was 50% subject to minimum                                                                       | Between 12 hours and 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train cancellation charge is 50% subject to minimum charge as per (i) above.                                                                                              |
| (iv)  | No refund after the above time limit was permissible.                                                                                                                                                                                      | No refund after the above time limit is permissible.                                                                                                                                                                                         |

| 3.   | Refund on unused RAC/Waitlisted/Partially confirmed tickets                                                                                                           | Refund on unused RAC/Waitlisted/Partially confirmed tickets                                                                                                              |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (i)  | If Partially confirmed tickets was presented for cancellation upto two hours after the actual departure of the train, full refund minus clerkage charge was refunded. | If Partially confirmed ticket is presented for cancellation upto half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train full refund minus clerkage charge is refunded. |
| (ii) | If RAC/Waitlisted tickets was presented for cancellation upto three hours after the actual departure of the train, full refund minus clerkage charge was refunded.    | If RAC/Waitlisted tickets is presented for cancellation upto half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train full refund minus clerkage charge is refunded.     |
| 4.   | Refund on e-tickets on cancellation of trains                                                                                                                         | Refund on e-tickets on cancellation of trains                                                                                                                            |
|      | Before 01.07.2015, for refund of fare online Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) had to be filed.                                                                            | W.e.f. 01.07.2015, automatic refund is credited in the account from which booking transaction took place. Filing of online Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) is not required. |

## (d) & (e) There would be no inconvenience to passengers if tickets are cancelled within the prescribed time limits.

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