NEW DELHI, Oct 7: The Indian Railways for the first time has introduced a new policy to make it easier for travellers to adjust their plans without losing money in case of any change in the travel plans after booking the tickets considering that travel plans can change unexpectedly leaving passengers in a quandary..
Starting January, passengers can change the travel date of their confirmed train tickets online without any fee, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. Currently, passengers must cancel their ticket and book a new one to change their travel date, which leads to deductions based on when the cancellation happens. This process is costly and often inconvenient.
“This system is unfair and not in the interest of passengers,” Vaishnaw said. He confirmed that instructions have been issued to implement the new, passenger-friendly changes. However, the Railway Minister said there’s no guarantee of getting a confirmed ticket for the new date, as it depends on seat availability. Additionally, if the new ticket costs more, passengers will need to pay the fare difference.
This change will help millions of passengers who may need to reschedule their train journeys but currently face hefty cancellation fees. As per the existing rules, cancelling a confirmed ticket 48 to 12 hours before departure results in a 25 per cent deduction from the fare. The fee increases for cancellations between 12 and 4 hours before departure. Once the reservation chart is prepared, refunds for cancellations are generally not granted.
(Manas Dasgupta)