Railways has announced a reduction in cancellation charges for RAC tickets booked through the IRCTC website, bringing relief to passengers. Instead of hefty convenience fees, a nominal charge of Rs. 60 per passenger will now be deducted. According to a Dainik Jagran report, this decision follows a complaint lodged by RTI activist Sunil Kumar Khandelwal, highlighting the arbitrary fees imposed by IRCTC for ticket cancellations.
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Khandelwal pointed out that when waiting tickets booked on the IRCTC website remain unconfirmed, the railway itself cancels them, yet a significant service charge is deducted. For example, if a waiting ticket costs Rs. 190 and remains unconfirmed, the refunded amount is only Rs. 95. In response to the complaint, IRCTC has taken action, with the MD acknowledging the policy decisions and regulatory authority of Indian Railways over ticket booking and refunds. The MD also expressed gratitude to Khandelwal for raising the issue, while Khandelwal reciprocated appreciation to the railway administration for addressing the matter.