Cancelled Tickets Bring Indian Railways Rs 1230 Cr, Enough To Fund 10 New Vande Bharat Trains!
Over the span of three years, from 2021 to 2024, the Indian Railways garnered a staggering sum of almost Rs 1,230 crore from cancelled waiting list tickets.
Over the span of three years, from 2021 to 2024, the Indian Railways garnered a staggering sum of almost Rs 1,230 crore from cancelled waiting list tickets.
Revenue from ticket cancellations has been on the rise since 2021. In the Diwali week, the railway accumulated Rs 10.37 crore from cancellations, with a total of 96.18 lakh tickets and 47.82 waiting list passengers being cancelled.
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Collections In 2021, 2022 and 2023
In 2021, the railway earned Rs 242.68 crore from cancellations, with a staggering 2.53 crore waiting list tickets being cancelled. The earnings surged to Rs 439.16 crore in 2022, with 4.6 crore tickets cancelled. In 2023, the railway's revenue reached Rs 505 crore, attributed to the cancellation of 5.26 crore tickets.
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These Numbers Surfaced After An Activist Filed An RTI
These remarkable statistics came to light through an RTI inquiry conducted by Dr. Vivek Pandey, an activist hailing from Madhya Pradesh. Dr. Pandey took to X/Twitter to share the RTI responses, criticizing the railways for what he perceived as a profit-driven approach.
The #IndianRailways clocked earnings of ?1,230 crore from cancelled waiting list tickets, including tatkal (between yr 2021 to jan 2024) Reveals #RTI filed by me.
¡ª Dr Vivek Pandey (@Vivekpandey21) March 20, 2024
? Why railways charge cancellation fee even when passengers don't get a seat ? Another money making strategy ? pic.twitter.com/JmOLse8VGp
Details Of How IRCTC Raked In This Moolah With Cancellation Charges
The Indian Railways' substantial earnings from cancelled tickets can be attributed to cancellation charges levied on passengers. According to the IRCTC portal, cancellation fees vary based on the class of travel, ranging from Rs 60 for Second Class to Rs 240 for AC 1st Class. These charges increase by up to 50% if tickets are cancelled within four hours of departure. However, passengers are entitled to a full refund if cancellations are made at least 72 hours before the train's scheduled departure, as per the refund rules outlined on the Indian Railways website.
Food For Thought - With This Much Of Revenue From Cancellation, Indian Railways Can Fund Almost 10 Vande Bharat Trains!
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As per a PTI report, 16-coach semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express trains are produced at an estimated cost of Rs 115 crore each. However, this price is expected to decrease significantly once manufacturing is scaled up.
With Rs 1,230 crore, Indian Railways can easily get at least 10 new Vande Bharat trains!
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