Cancellation charge for a railway ticket has been doubled while the refund option can now be availed only till four hours before the scheduled departure of a train as new rules came into effect today which railways said was aimed at thwarting touts. According to the new refund rules, railways has doubled the ticket cancellation charge with the aim of helping genuine passengers get confirmed tickets. "There will be no refund after the departure of a train and one has to get the refund four hours before the scheduled departure as per the revised refund rules," said a senior railway ministry official, adding that the revised refund rules are effective from today.
"The rules were revised to discourage touts and ticketing agents who engage in black marketing of tickets," said the official. While the cancellation fee of a Second-class confirmed ticket 48 hours before the scheduled departure of a train has been increased from Rs 30 to Rs 60, a similar step for a Third-AC ticket will cost Rs 180 as against the earlier Rs 90. For wait-listed and reservation-against-cancellation (RAC) tickets, one has to avail the refund up to half-an-hour before the scheduled departure of the train and there will be no refund after that.
The Second-Sleeper class cancellation charge has been increased from Rs 60 to Rs 120 while for Second AC it is now Rs 200 as against the earlier Rs 100, according to the railway notification. The official said that the purpose behind amending the Railway Passengers (Cancellation of Ticket and Refund of Fare) Rules, 2015, is to plug the scope of misuse. Earlier, between 48 hours and 6 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, cancellation fee was 25 per cent of the ticket. Now, the charge will be 25 per cent of the ticket for cancellation between 48 hours and 12 hours before the scheduled departure of a train.
Also, from 6 hours before the scheduled departure of a train and up to 2 hours after the actual departure of the train, cancellation fee was 50 per cent of the ticket. However, the revised rules stipulate that between 12 hours and 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, cancellation fee will be 50 per cent of the ticket. Railways has also decided to enable certain unreserved ticket counters to allow refund of reserved ticket.
