New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways on Wednesday, issued fresh guidelines for the operation of special trains, allowing to issue tickets to the wait-listed passengers from May 22 along with introducing a provision of full refund if someone found to be symptomatic of COVID-19, a source said.
In its order, the Railway Ministry stated that there shall be no Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) tickets in the special trains and the waiting list tickets shall be issued subject to maximum limits of 200 for sleeper class, 100 for both AC Chair Car and 3AC, 50 for 2AC, and 20 for both executive class as well as for 1AC.
There will be no tatkal and premium tatkal quota allowed in these special trains. However, the refund rules for cancellation of tickets will remain the same, which is 50 per cent for within 24 hours of train departure. The changes will come into effect for tickets of the special trains, booked from May 15 for the journeys beginning from May 22.
In another order of Railway Board to all the zonal Railways, it has been stated that full refund shall be provided to the passengers if found symptomatic to COVID-19. "As per MHA guidelines, all passengers shall be compulsorily screened and only asymptomatic passengers shall be allowed to board the train. If during screening a passenger has a very high temperature or symptoms of COVID-19, he/she shall not be allowed to travel despite having confirmed tickets. In such a case, a full refund shall be provided to the passenger," said the order.
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The Ministry also clarified that if the other passengers, along with the person who has been found symptomatic, do not want to travel then a full refund will also be given to their confirmed tickets. The revised guidelines on the subject of cancellation of tickets and refund of fare, relaxation in the provision of refund rules have been given for passenger reservation system counter.
According to the reports, the refund across the counter can be taken on submission of ticket up to 6 months from the date of journey. This move indicates that the centre may allow more special passengers trains amid the lockdown by deploying Shatabdi and other mail express trains for ferrying passengers.
