Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced key reforms on cancellations and refunds of train tickets in a press conference on Tuesday, March 24.
The Railways Minister said that the passengers can now change their boarding point up to 30 minutes before departure, instead of doing so before chart preparation.
Minimum flat cancellation charge will apply on cancellations more than 72 hours, while for cancellations between 72 and 24 hours, 25% of the fare will be a penalty. 50% refund will be given for cancellations between 24 hours and 8 hours. However, for cancellations less than 8 hours, no refund will be provided.
The development comes days after the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) formed QR-based identity cards and digitally traceable food packets to avoid the unauthorised vending operators at the Indian Railway premises. Through this measure, IRCTC aims to ensure passenger safety, while food safety supervisors will also be deployed at Base Kitchens to monitor hygiene.
As per the official statement, the QR code-enabled identity cards in the name of individual vendors/helpers/staff are mandatory to prove the identity of the authorised vendors in trains. It will help the management of the onboard catering services at the Indian Railways.
The QR code will retrieve and reflect the details of the vendor's name, Aadhaar No., medical fitness, police verification details, etc., according to the official announcement.
The latest measures aim to discourage the unhygienic and expired supply of food items and improve quality, hygiene, and food safety. Additionally, advanced kitchens will be established in selected locations with the installation of CCTV cameras. In order to improve the quality of the food, popular and branded raw materials, such as cooking oil, atta, rice, pulses, masala items, paneer, and dairy products, will be used during the food production. The deployment of on-board IRCTC supervisors on trains and cleanliness will be an important goal in Base Kitchens and Pantry Cars.
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