Ministry of Railways Amends Refund Rule, to be Effective from 12th November, 2015

Ministry of Railways Amends Refund Rules 

The New Refund Rules to be Effective from 12th November, 2015

The Move to help the Genuine Passengers and will help Plug the Scope of Misues of Ticketing Activity and Discourage Touts / Agents on Black-Marketing of Tickets 

In a major move to help the genuine passengers and to plug the scope of misuse of ticketing activity by unscrupulous elements, the Ministry of Railways has further amended its refund rules and has notified under the title Railway Passengers (Cancellation of Ticket and Refund of Fare) Rules, 2015. The new Refund Rule shall be effective w.e.f. 12.11.2015.

·        The objective of the new changes in the refund rule are as under:-

(i).  To plug the scope of misuse.

(ii). Facilitate passengers with mobile ticketing/proposed paperless ticketing etc.

(iii)  Discourage touts/agents on black marketing of tickets.

Under the revised Rules one additional facility has been made available for the passengers.  Now, beyond the working hours of PRS or no current counters are available at stations or no PRS counter is available at stations, Railways has decided to enable certain UTS counter as UTS cum PRS counter and allow refund of PRS counter ticket across UTS cum PRS counter. Moreover, with effect from 01.07.2015 Automatic refund of fare on e-tickets in case of cancellation of trains for the convenience of the passengers.  No TDR filing is required in this case.

The brief summary of the revised refund rules in a tabular form is given below giving both existing and the new amended provisions : -

Rule no.	Existing	Proposed
4.	Levy of clerkage per passenger for cancellation of unreserved, RAC and waitlisted tickets:- (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:- (i).   Unreserved (second class): Rs. 30. (ii)   Second class (reserved) and other classes: Rs. 60
6(1).	Cancellation charge per passenger on confirmed (reserved) tickets:- (i). 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the train minimum cancellation charge 1stAC/executive class:   Rs.120 2AC/1st class :                Rs. 100 3AC/ACC/3A economy: Rs. 90 Second sleeper class:    Rs. 60 Second class             :    Rs. 30 (ii). Between 48 hours and 6 hours before the scheduled departure of the train @ 25% subject to minimum charge as per (i) above. (iii) From 6 hours before the scheduled departure of the train and upto 2 hours after the actual departure of the train @ 50% subject to minimum charge as per (i) above. (iv) No refund after the above time limit.	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.
6(3)	Partially confirmed: Upto two hours after the actual departure of the train	Partially confirmed: Upto half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train
7.	Refund on unused RAC/WL tickets: Upto 3 hours of the actual departure of the train subject to deduction in clerkage charge. No refund after the above time limit.	Refund on unused RAC/WL tickets: Upto half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train subject to deduction of clerkage charge No refund after the above time limit.
10.	In case of cancellation of trains for e-tickets: Before 01.07.2015, for refund, TDR had to be filed. No change for counter PRS ticket.	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.

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