The Indian Railways have now brought in five major rule changes that will affect passengers on ticket booking, food services, and overall travel experience. The rules have introduced to improve convenience, safety, and efficiency to the millions traveling every day. Below are the newly introduced changes that will affect the passenger.
1. Amendments In Ticket Booking Rules
These amendments refer to booking tickets in order to prevent fraud and provide better environments for their charges. The crucial ones are-
- Tatkal Tracking of Ticket Booking: Now passengers booking Tatkal tickets are required to authenticate identity by means of Aadhaar-based OTP. This measure has been taken to stop the agents from illegal tickets booking.
- Time Extended for Reserve Ticket:- The advanced booking for some long distance trains has been increased from 120 to 150 days.
- Change in Name on Booked Ticket: The claim ticket can now only be transferred by Indian Railways in the name of one family member (parents, spouse, or children) only once per booking.
2. E-Catering And Food Services Changes
Railways have introduced “innovative food services” for a better travel experience for the passengers.
- Pre-booked Meals: Now, pre-booked meals can be ordered along with the ticket by passengers on the IRCTC Web site so that food will be onboard the passenger for the whole travel.
- More Additions To Vendor: E-catering services are now growing by associating with more private food vendors and restaurant chains so as to be improving quality and variety.
- Real-Time Food Order Tracking: Now passengers can track their needed food on the IRCTC mobile app directly.
3. Stringent Enforcement Of Luggage Norms
In order to control the undue excess luggage brought by the passengers, a limit has been set by the Railways:
- Penalty for Excess Baggage: Any passenger carrying luggage more than the limit prescribed for that shall have to pay additional rates in charge before boarding from the station. Heavy fines on caught during the journey for carrying excess luggage shall also be levied.
- Luggage Limit Weight: The limit for weight of luggage carried by sleeper and AC passengers has now been established, with additional charges on any excess weight.
4. Refund And Cancellation Policy Changes
The new rules on refunds of unnecessary cancellation of tickets are now passenger friendly.
- Quick Refunds Processing: Refunds on canceled tickets booked online will now be processed within 24 hours instead of the earlier timeframe of 5-7 days.
- Partial Refund of Tatkal Ticket Fare: New provision in this connection is going to allow partial refund of Tatkal ticket charges under certain grounds such as delay or cancellation of trains.
5. More stringently On Waitlisted And RAC pass holders
Railways have made changes in the handling waitlisted and RAC tickets – ”Automatic Upgradation” wherein waiting list passenger’s seats during travel may be automatically upgraded to higher classes at no extra charge if they are available. The other would be “No Confirmed unaffiliated passengers will be allowed to get on the train”: These would ensure lesser chances of overcrowding.
Conclusion
New rules of Indian Railways touch on how to transform Indian trains into better organized, more efficient, and passenger-friendly transport. It transformed from improved booking of tickets and food delivery to more stringent baggage policies. Overall, improvements will be created in the entire travel experience as such. Passengers must keep mindful to track such changes to avoid last-minute hassles during travel.
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