Indian Railways introduced several changes: Check IRCTC guidelines

With the Indian Railways announcing a gradual resumption of services from May 12, the railways made some changes in facilities provided to passengers of special trains and ticket booking arrangements.

These trains will be run as special trains from New Delhi Station connecting Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi, the government said in a statement.

The government also said the railways will start more special services on new routes, based on the available coaches after reserving 20,000 coaches for COVID-19 care centres. 

Changes in ticket booking​:

1.Passengers will only be able to book tickets through IRCTC website or the mobile app

2.Bookings through agents will not be accepted

3.The fare structure for the ‘Special Trains’ shall be as applicable for the regular time tabled Rajdhani trains’

4.The ARP (advance reservation period) shall be for a maximum of 7 days

5.Child fare shall be applicable as per existing child fare rule

6.Only confirmed tickets shall be booked

7.Indian Railways is not allowing bookings of RAC/waiting list ticket

8.Tatkal or premium tatkal accommodation is not allowed

9.Current booking shall not



be allowed

10.Concessional tickets and tickets against free complimentary passes which are not reimbursable shall not be admissible

11.Cluster/BPT bookings/bulk bookings will not be allowed 

12.Online cancellation of ticket bookings can be done only up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure time of train

13.Cancellation charge shall be 50 per cent of fare

Railways resumes bookings: Guidelines for passengers 

1.Catering charges will not be included in ticket fare

Provision for pre-paid meal booking, e-catering shall be disabled

2.IRCTC shall make provisions for ‘dry ready to eat’ meals and packaged drinking water on payment on board. 3.Information to this effect shall be made available to passengers during the time of ticket booking

4.Blankets, pillows will not be allowed on trains

5.Passengers are supposed to reach railway stations an hour early before the train’s departure time

6.Passengers will have to wear face cover or masks on trains

7.All passengers will undergo screening at departure and only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the trains

8.Officials have said the resumption of passenger trains will allow people who had been stranded to book trains. 9.This is also for those who need to get back to work and have been stuck since the lockdown.