Parliamentary committee has termed it unfair to charge full fare on RAC tickets. The committee has suggested that a system should be made to refund partial fare to the passengers if they do not get the full berth. This can provide relief to lakhs of passengers.
New Delhi: It is not right to charge full fare from those traveling on RAC tickets in trains, the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has said. The committee has suggested that the Railway Ministry should create a system to refund some part of the ticket for passengers who do not get berth facilities.
Main suggestions of Public Accounts Committee
In its report presented in Parliament on February 4, the committee has made some recommendations regarding the functioning of the railways and the timing of trains. Even after the chart is prepared, the passengers who remain in RAC category do not get the full berth. But they have to pay full fare for sleeper/AC class. According to the committee, this is not correct. The committee has demanded that the Railways should create a special system to give partial refund to the passengers considering the situation of two people traveling on one seat.
Currently, as per IRCTC rules, if the ticket is not canceled or TDR is not filed 30 minutes before the train departure, then no refund is available on RAC tickets. If in a group ticket some people’s tickets are confirmed and some remain in RAC, then refund will be given only if all the tickets are canceled within the stipulated time. If the Railway Ministry accepts this recommendation, lakhs of common passengers will get great relief.