IRCTC is the leading platform to book train tickets online.
A post widely circulating on social media is claiming that Indian Railways earned about Rs 2,110 crore in the year 2022-23 from ticket cancellation. The information is attributed to a reply received by one Indu Bhal Tiwari under Right to Information (RTI) Act. The screenshot attached also shows an earning of Rs 1,762.62 crore till December 2023. The message has been shared by several verified handles, including NCIB Headquarters. Ministry of Railways has not reacted to the viral message so far.
"If you book a waiting ticket from the IRCTC website and it is not confirmed, then the railway itself cancels that ticket and a large part of the amount paid by you is deducted as service charge," the message on X said.
"For example, if you book a waiting ticket of Rs 240 and the ticket is not confirmed, then only Rs 180 is refunded by the railway," it added.
The X post going viral
Photo Credit: X/@NCIBHQ
The message then demanded a "penalty" on Railways allegedly for fleecing the passengers.
Users reacted to the post strongly demanding a solution.
"Railways collect a lot of money from passengers in the name of service charge," said one user. "Please give correct information. If a waiting ticket gets cancelled automatically (online ticket) then full amount is credited. If you do it through the app yourself then you get it after deduction," said another but agreed there is "loot".
"Still, Railways claims it is in loss," a third user commented.
IRCTC, or Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, is a subsidiary of the Indian Railways that manages catering, online ticketing and tourism operations. It is headquartered in New Delhi.
Apart from booking train tickets, IRCTC also offers other services such as flight booking, hotel room booking etc.
It was established in 1999 by the Government of India and operated under the administrative control of the Ministry of Railways.