No changes from 1 July. Yes, you heard that right!
The Indian Railways said that there won’t be any changes to rules regarding booking and cancellation of Tatkal and waitlisted tickets starting July 1. The news was in circulation on WhatsApp groups, social media platforms and several websites.
As said in a release, “This news is totally incorrect and baseless. A section of media has also published the news without verifying it from authorised sources of the Indian Railway system and it has created confusion among the minds of the people.”
Furthermore, there’s no proposal to discontinue paper tickets for both Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains or for that matter any class. However, those booking tickets online are still eligible to travel (as tickets received by SMS is valid) provided they are carrying an identity proof. There wasn’t any change in the rules of refund.
The Ministry of Railways has clarified the following:
- There are no new changes being introduced from July 1, 2016.
- Railways have notified new refund rules in November, 2015.There rules are still continuing and there is no change in them.
- Again there is no change in the refund rules of Tatkal tickets. Under the existing rule, no refund is granted on cancellation of confirmed Tatkal tickets/ duplicate Tatkal ticket. This rule continues to be in operation.
- The booking time for Tatkal Tickets was changed last year with booking for AC classes opening at 10:00 AM and for Non-AC classes at 11:00 AM. one day in advance of actual date of journey excluding date of journey. There is no change in these timings and the same arrangement is continuing.
- There is no proposal to discontinue paper tickets for Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains and for that matter in any class of train. However, for passengers booking tickets online (i.e. E-Tickets) the tickets received by SMS is a valid authority for travel along with permissible proof of identity.
- Railways has been selling waitlisted tickets both through online (e-ticket) and PRS counters. There is no change in this scheme and railway will continue to sell waitlisted tickets through both online and PRS counter.
- Railways is already running its destination alert facility on its help line number 139. In addition, a free destination alert service in some Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains was also introduced on a pilot basis for train arrival at destination between 11:00 AM to 6:00 AM already available. So there is no change in this facility also.
- Railways has been running Suvidha Class of Trains since July, 2015, such trains will continue to run. The waitlisted ticket in such trains is also available, if required. Provision of partial refund in case of Suvidha Train Tickets is available right from the beginning of the scheme.
- There has been no new scheme or charges of booking coaches and trains. The existing scheme is in vogue for many years and is continuing to be valid.
- Railways will introduce its new railway time table in the month of October, 2016.
