NEW DELHI: In order to check misuse of the provision by unscrupulous elements, cancellation of railway tickets will be made costlier from November 12. Such a measure will go a long way to plug the rampant practice of blocking of seats by
passengers uncertain about their date of journey and by touts doing blackmarketing, although the new cancellation fees are still not deterrent enough.
The Ministry of Railways amended its refund rules under the Railway Passengers (Cancellation of Ticket and Refund of Fare) Rules, 2015 to help genuine passengers and charge an additional fee from those who are really serious about their journey.
Under the new rules, one additional facility has been made available to the passengers. Beyond the working hours of PRS or no current counters are available
at stations or no PRS counter is available at stations, the railways have decided to enable certain UTS counter as UTS-cum-PRS counter and allow refund of PRS counter ticket across UTS-cum-PRS counter, the railways said.
There will be no refund after the departure of train and one has to get the refund four hours before the departure, according to the new refund rules.
The cancellation fee of second class confirmed ticket in 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the train will be increased from Rs 30 to Rs 60, and the Third AC ticket will cost Rs 180 as against Rs 90 earlier.
For waitlisted tickets and reservation against cancellation (RAC), the refund is upto half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train and there will be no refund after that.
The Second Sleeper Class cancellation has been increased from Rs 60 to Rs 120 and for the Second AC doubled from Rs 100 to Rs 200.
While earlier from 6 hours before the scheduled departure and upto 2 hours after the actual departure cancellation fee was 50 per cent of the ticket, but now between 12 hours and 4 hours before the scheduled departure the cancellation fee will be 50 per cent of the ticket.
Certain unreserved ticket counters can also be used now for refund on reserved ticket.
The levy of clerkage per passenger for cancellation of unreserved, RAC and waitlisted tickets is: (i) Unreserved (second class): Rs 30. (ii) Second class (reserved) and other classes: Rs 60.
Cancellation charge per passenger on confirmed (reserved) tickets: (i) 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the train minimum cancellation charge: 1st
AC/executive class: Rs 240, 2AC/1st class: Rs 200, 3AC/ACC/3A economy: Rs 180, Second sleeper class: Rs 120, Second class : Rs 60, (ii) Between 48 hours and 12
hours before the scheduled departure of the train @ 25% subject to minimum charge as per (i) above. (iii) Between 12 hours and 4 hours before the scheduled
departure of the train @ 50% subject to minimum charge as per (i) above. (iv) No refund after the above time limit.
Partially confirmed: Up to half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train.
Refund on unused RAC/WL tickets: Up to half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train subject to deduction of clerkage charge.
No refund after the above time limit.
In case of cancellation of trains for e-tickets: W.e.f. 01.07.2015, automatic refund is granted. Filing of TDR is not required.
