The government has given very good news to those traveling by trains. The Railway Board has announced that the AC chair car and executive class fares of all trains including Vande Bharat will be cut. Railway Ministry has come up with a new scheme for this. Its name is Concessional Rent Scheme. Under this, the prices of AC train tickets will be reduced by up to 25 percent. This exemption will be applicable with immediate effect.
The Ministry of Railways has launched a 25 per cent discount scheme on fares in AC chair car and executive class of all trains with air-conditioned seating facilities including Anubhuti and Vistadome coaches. Ministry of Railways has entrusted the responsibility of starting concessional fare scheme in trains to zonal offices with the objective of maximum utilization of space in trains. In such a situation, it is important to know the terms and conditions of the rent waiver scheme.
Full use of seats
This scheme has been brought for the purpose of making full use of the seats in the trains. For this, rights have been given to Zonal Railways. The fare will be deducted on the basis of the number of passengers. The concessional rates will be applicable only on the fares of those trains in which only 50 per cent seats could be filled during the last 30 days. These also include trains with Vande Bharat, Anubhuti and Vistadome bogies. The fare of trains will also depend on the competitive mode of transport.
Discount will be available in basic fare
The Railway Board said that a maximum discount of 25 percent will be given on the basic fare. Apart from this, other charges like reservation fee, super fast surcharge, GST etc. will be charged as at present. This relaxation can be given in any or all the categories on the basis of vacant seats. The concession may be granted for the initial leg of the journey, the last leg of the journey, intermediate sections or from the beginning to the end of the journey. Provided that the occupancy during that phase/section/from start to finish, as the case may be, is less than 50%.
The plan will be reviewed regularly
The concession in fare will be applicable initially for a period as decided by the PCCM of the zone from where the train originates. This will be for a maximum of 6 months. Further review of the scheme will be done regularly and depending on the occupancy the relaxation may be modified/extended/withdrawn. Tickets on PTO/Difference in fares on Railway Passes/Concessional Vouchers/MLA/Ex-MLAs Coupons/Warrants/MPs/Ex-MPs/Freedom Fighters etc. will be booked on basic class wise fare and not on concessional fare.
Tatkal quota will not be set
If relaxation is granted from the beginning to the end of the journey, Tatkal quota will not be set for the specified duration in such trains. Further, if exemption is granted for part journey of the train, Tatkal quota cannot be granted for that part of the journey where exemption is given. Discount will be given only on tickets booked till the first chart is prepared and during the current booking. Exemption can be given even if TTE boards the train. This scheme will not be applicable on special trains.
Fare will not be refunded to passengers who have booked seats
As per the orders of the Railways, the concessional fare will be applicable immediately, but the fare will not be refunded to the passengers who have already booked the seats. It has been clarified in the order that this scheme will not be applicable on special trains run during holidays or festival season.
Only so many seats were booked in Vande Bharat in June
In June, only 29 percent seats were filled in the Bhopal-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express. The Indore-Bhopal Vande Bharat Express had only 21% occupancy. Only about 55 percent seats of Nagpur-Bilaspur Vande Bharat Express are being filled. Maximum number of passengers are traveling in Kasaragod-Trivandrum Vande Bharat Express train. So far 25 Vande Bharat Express trains have been run across the country. Top Vande Bharat trains with occupancy include Kasaragod to Trivandrum (183%), Trivandrum to Kasaragod (176%), Gandhinagar - Mumbai Central (134%).
Key Points of Railway Concession Fare Scheme
1. The scheme will be applicable in AC chair car and executive classes of all trains with air-conditioned seating including Anubhuti and Vistadome coaches.
2. This discount will be up to a maximum of 25 percent on the basic fare. Other charges like reservation fee, super fast surplus, GST etc., as applicable, will be levied separately. This relaxation can be given in any or all the categories depending on the filling of seats.
3. Trains with less than 50 per cent seat occupancy during the last 30 days will be taken into account. The fare of the competing mode of transport will be the parameter while determining the quantum of exemption.
4. This concession can be given for the first leg of the journey or the last leg of the journey or the intermediate sections or from the point of departure to the destination, provided that less than 50 percent of the seats in that leg, section, from the point of departure to the destination are filled.
5. This exemption will be implemented with immediate effect. However, no refund of fare will be admissible for passengers who have already reserved seats.
6. In case of fare concession, for inter-zonal or destination trains, fare can be waived in consultation with the Managing Director or COM, CCM of other Zonal Railways.
7. In case of trains where flexi fare scheme is applicable in a particular class and the seats are less filled, the flexi fare scheme may be withdrawn initially as a measure to fill up the seats. If even this does not improve the situation of filling seats, then only this discount scheme can be implemented in those trains.
8. Tickets on Concessional Fare Vouchers on Railway Passes, MLA, Ex-MLA Coupons, Warrants, MPs, Ex-MPs, Freedom Fighters etc. will be booked on the basis of basic class wise fare and not on concessional fare.
9. If the concession is granted from the beginning to the end of the journey, Tatkal quota will not be set for the specified duration in such trains. Further, if exemption is granted for part journey of the train, Tatkal quota may not be granted for that part of the journey where exemption is granted.
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10. This relaxation will be applicable till the preparation of first chart and for tickets booked during the current booking. This exemption can also be allowed by the TTE in the train.
11. This scheme of discount will not be applicable on special trains run as holiday, festival special etc. This scheme will be applicable for a period of one year.
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