Rlys deducts booking fee, passengers cry foul
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:19.04.2020
Railways have started to issue refunds for online tickets for travel during shutdown period but is deducting booking fee though IRCTC had declared that people will get full refund.
This has created confusion among passengers who have taken to social media to point out the discrepancy in the announcement and what is being implemented.
Passengers complain that railways are deducting Rs15 to Rs30 plus GST for cancellation of tickets. Money is being refunded after deducting ₹15 for sleeper class tickets and₹30 for air-conditioned class tickets. A passenger tweeted: “It’s a mistake on the part of Railway to start IRCTC booking. So why should customers bear this loss. Please refund entire amount as soon as possible.”
A few have also tweeted hinting that railways will be making money by holding back the booking fee. Railways will make ₹7crore by deducting ₹18 (inclusive of taxes) for the 39 lakh cancelled tickets, said a passenger in a social media post. Indian Railways had announced that it will be cancelling around 39 lakh tickets for journeys between April 15 and May 3. However, people have also criticised railways for keeping reservations open after April 15 when there was an uncertainty over extension of the lockdown period.
T Sadagopan, a frequent traveller and consumer activist, said, “This shows that there is no transparency. They cannot say there will be full refund and then deduct money. Ideally railways should have given a breakup of the charges that will be refunded when they said full refund will be issued.”
IRCTC also delayed issuing full refunds and deducted reservation charges of Rs120 for sleeper class and Rs180 for air-conditioned class for tickets for tickets that were cancelled when the lockdown was announced from March 26 to April 14. They started to refund the money only after there was a public outcry.
A railway official said refunds were being issued based on the policy adopted by the ministry.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:19.04.2020
Railways have started to issue refunds for online tickets for travel during shutdown period but is deducting booking fee though IRCTC had declared that people will get full refund.
This has created confusion among passengers who have taken to social media to point out the discrepancy in the announcement and what is being implemented.
Passengers complain that railways are deducting Rs15 to Rs30 plus GST for cancellation of tickets. Money is being refunded after deducting ₹15 for sleeper class tickets and₹30 for air-conditioned class tickets. A passenger tweeted: “It’s a mistake on the part of Railway to start IRCTC booking. So why should customers bear this loss. Please refund entire amount as soon as possible.”
A few have also tweeted hinting that railways will be making money by holding back the booking fee. Railways will make ₹7crore by deducting ₹18 (inclusive of taxes) for the 39 lakh cancelled tickets, said a passenger in a social media post. Indian Railways had announced that it will be cancelling around 39 lakh tickets for journeys between April 15 and May 3. However, people have also criticised railways for keeping reservations open after April 15 when there was an uncertainty over extension of the lockdown period.
T Sadagopan, a frequent traveller and consumer activist, said, “This shows that there is no transparency. They cannot say there will be full refund and then deduct money. Ideally railways should have given a breakup of the charges that will be refunded when they said full refund will be issued.”
IRCTC also delayed issuing full refunds and deducted reservation charges of Rs120 for sleeper class and Rs180 for air-conditioned class for tickets for tickets that were cancelled when the lockdown was announced from March 26 to April 14. They started to refund the money only after there was a public outcry.
A railway official said refunds were being issued based on the policy adopted by the ministry.
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