Indian Railways Adopts Dynamic Approach to Address Fluctuating Train Occupancy Patterns
Refund Processes Streamlined for Waiting List Passengers
Indian Railways Adapts to Changing Demand: Enhances Services during Peak Periods
Indian Railways has acknowledged the varying occupancy patterns of trains, with fluctuations observed during lean and peak periods. During peak rush periods, trains on popular routes experience full occupancy, while during lean periods and on less popular routes, there is sub-optimal utilization. To address these challenges and ensure optimal services, the railways have implemented several measures.
Dynamic Measures to Meet Fluctuating Demand
To accommodate the additional demand during peak periods, Indian Railways regularly monitors the waiting list positions of trains. To cater to this demand, several dynamic measures are put into action:
- Augmentation of Existing Trains: To accommodate more passengers, the load of existing trains is augmented during peak rush periods.
- Special Trains: Indian Railways operates special trains to cater to the surge in demand during festive seasons and other peak periods.
- Introduction of New Trains: In response to increasing demand, new train services are introduced to better connect passengers across various destinations.
- Increased Frequency: The frequency of existing trains is enhanced to ensure smoother travel experiences for passengers.
These measures are implemented based on operational feasibility to ensure efficient and seamless train travel for passengers.
Efficient Refund Processes for Waiting List Passengers
Recognizing the importance of seamless ticketing experiences, Indian Railways has streamlined the refund processes for waiting list passengers. When a ticket, with all passengers’ status on the waiting list at the time of the first reservation chart preparation, is automatically cancelled, an auto-refund process is initiated. The refund amount is then advised to the bank on the next day.
In cases where money is debited, but the ticket is not booked, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) ensures that the automatic refund process is initiated on the following day. The refund amount is advised to the respective Payment Gateway/bank through which the booking amount was received. The refund processing time varies based on the mode of transaction:
- For Net banking/Wallet/Cash Card transactions: 3-4 business days.
- For Credit card/Debit card transactions: 6-7 business days.
Flexible Payment Options for Passengers
Passengers can also avail themselves of the “Book Now Pay Later” option available in the Mobile App and the EMI option available on the website as payment choices, adding convenience to their booking process.
Special Consideration for Police, Paramilitary, and Armed Forces
Indian Railways has reiterated its commitment to ensuring expeditious clearance for police, paramilitary, and armed forces personnel. For this purpose, additional coaches are attached to trains and/or second-class coaches are earmarked, subject to feasibility, as long as these personnel hold valid travel authority.
The Minister of Railways, Communications, and Electronic & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, provided this information in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. The dynamic approach taken by Indian Railways and the enhanced refund processes demonstrate their commitment to providing seamless and customer-centric services to passengers across the country.
