The Railways has doubled ticket cancellation charges and proposed changes in refund rules with effect from November 12. While cancellation fee of second class confirmed ticket in 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the train will be increased from ₹30 to ₹60, the Third AC ticket will cost ₹180 as against ₹90 earlier.

For waitlisted ticket and reserve against cancellation (RAC), one has to avail the refund up to half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train and there will be no refund after that, according to the new rules.

The Second Sleeper class cancellation has been increased from ₹60 to ₹120, the Second AC has doubled up from ₹100 to ₹200, according to the notification issued on Friday.

For cancellation charges linked to the price of ticket — such as 25 per cent and 50 per cent — depending on the time of cancellation, the Railways has changed the preceding time periods. For instance, 25 per cent of the fare will be deducted if the ticket is cancelled between 48 hours and 12 hours before the scheduled departure, instead of 48 and 6 hours at present.

Similarly, 50 per cent fare will be deducted for tickets cancelled between 12 hours and 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, against the prevailing 6 and 2 hours.

The objective of the changes in the refund rule is to plug the scope of misuse, facilitate passengers with mobile ticketing/proposed paperless ticketing and discourage touts/agents indulging in black marketing of tickets, the release added.

Additionally, the Railways has decided to enable certain unreserved ticket counters as unreserved-cum-reserved to allow refund of reserved tickets.

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