Relaxation is only for tickets taken from the railway counters and not for those booked online.
As the Indian Railways leads the 'social distancing' movement to restrict people from travelling to stop the spread of novel coronavirus, it has also relaxed the rules for ticket cancellation so travellers do not have to rush to get their tickets cancelled.
However, the relaxation is only for the tickets taken from the railway counters and not for those booked online. The step has been taken to deter people from coming to railway stations to get their tickets cancelled.
The relaxation is for both those who do not want to take the journey and those who booked tickets in a train that has been cancelled.
This relaxation is for journey period from March 21 to April 15.
Here are the relaxed rules:
CASE 1- Train cancelled by Railways for journey period March 21 - April 15, 2020:
Refund across the counter can be taken on submission of ticket up to 45 days from date of journey. (Instead of extant rule of 3 days/72 hours)
CASE 2: Train NOT cancelled. Passenger does NOT want to perform the journey.
• TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) can be filed within 30 days from date of the journey at the station. (Instead of extant rule of 3 days)
• TDR can be submitted to CCO/ CCM Claims office for getting the refund with 60 days of the filing of TDR subject to verification from Train chart. (Instead of extant rule of 10 days)
• for passengers who want cancel ticket through 139 can get refund across the counter within 30 days from date of journey. (Instead of extant rule of upto scheduled departure of the train.)
"Passengers are advised to avail the facility to avoid coming to the railway station during the spread of coronavirus," the Railways said.
All rules for e-ticket remain same as the passenger does not need to come to the station for a refund of the ticket, it said.
The Railways has cancelled over 200 trains in view of low occupancy and the novel coronavirus pandemic and has relaxed ticket cancellation rules.
It has said no train will start its journey from midnight to 10 pm on Sunday in view of 'Janata Curfew' called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This comes as the number of cases in India rose to 271 on Saturday.
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