Key Points
- IRCTC stopped the compensation scheme for delays on private trains starting February 15, 2024.
- The scheme ran from October 2019 to February 2024, covering delays on Tejas trains.
- IRCTC paid out Rs 26 lakh in compensation between 2019 and 2024, including Rs 15.65 lakh in the 2023-24 period alone.
- Compensation was Rs 100 for delays of 60 to 120 minutes and Rs 250 for delays over 120 minutes.
- IRCTC did not share why the scheme was discontinued, saying the information was confidential.
Looma News
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has ended its compensation scheme for delayed private trains. The scheme, which provided compensation to passengers on Tejas trains, was discontinued on February 15, 2024, as revealed by a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by the news agency PTI. IRCTC, which manages catering, tourism, ticket booking, and private trains for the Ministry of Railways, had offered compensation from October 2019 to February 2024.
Over the course of the scheme, IRCTC paid out a total of Rs 26 lakh in compensation, with Rs 15.65 lakh paid out in the 2023-24 period alone. The compensation aimed to encourage passengers to use the Tejas trains on the New Delhi-Lucknow and Ahmedabad-Mumbai routes. According to the RTI response, compensation was given for delays longer than 60 minutes. Passengers received Rs 100 for delays of 60 to 120 minutes and Rs 250 for delays over 120 minutes. In case of train cancellations, passengers were given a full refund and provided with food and water during delays.
However, IRCTC has not disclosed the reasons for ending the scheme, citing confidentiality. The scheme was originally part of efforts to attract more passengers to these premium trains. With the decision to stop the scheme, future delays will no longer be compensated, although the exact reasons for the change remain unclear.
