New Proposal: Partial Refunds for RAC Passengers Without Berths
A parliamentary panel has raised concerns over how Indian Railways handles RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) tickets. The committee is calling for partial refunds for passengers who pay for a full ticket but are not given a confirmed berth.
The Problem with RAC Fares
In a recent report presented to Parliament, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) argued that it is unfair to charge full fares to RAC passengers who do not receive a full berth by the time the final journey chart is prepared.
Under current rules, RAC passengers pay the same price as those with confirmed seats. However, if their status doesn’t change before the train leaves, they must share a single berth with another traveler. The committee believes that since these passengers are essentially sharing space, they should not be billed for a private berth.
Recommendations for Fair Pricing
The committee has urged the Ministry of Railways to create a system that automatically provides a partial refund to these passengers. They have asked the Ministry to report back on the steps taken to fix this pricing issue.
Concerns Over “Superfast” Train Standards
The report also highlighted issues with how Indian Railways classifies “Superfast” trains. Currently, a train is labeled “Superfast” if it averages just 55 kmph. The panel noted several problems with this:
- Outdated Rules: The 55 kmph benchmark was set in 2007 and hasn’t been updated in nearly 20 years.
- Failure to Meet Norms: An audit found that 123 out of 478 Superfast trains do not even meet this low speed requirement.
- Higher Charges: The panel suggested that many trains are kept in this category primarily to justify charging passengers higher fares.
A Call for Modern Speed Benchmarks
The Railway Ministry explained that many trains have slowed down due to extra stops added over time. However, the committee rejected this excuse, stating that if a train slows down, it should be reclassified and the fare should be lowered.
The committee described the current speed norms as “outdated” compared to countries like China and Japan. They have urged the Ministry to overhaul these standards, targeting average speeds of 100 kmph by the year 2030.
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