IRCTC halts passenger compensation for delays on private trains | Fusion - WeRIndia

Passengers travelling on private trains operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will no longer receive compensation for delays.

The compensation scheme, active since 2019, was discontinued on February 15, 2024.

This information came to light through an RTI application filed by PTI.

IRCTC, established to manage catering, tourism, and ticketing activities, also oversees private train operations.

The two private trains under its purview are the New Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express, introduced in October 2019, and the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express, operational since January 2020.

The compensation initiative was initially launched as a marketing strategy to attract passengers to these premium trains.

According to IRCTC, passengers received ₹100 for delays of 60 to 120 minutes and ₹250 for delays between 120 to 240 minutes.

Additionally, passengers were provided with food and water during delays, while full fare refunds were issued for train cancellations.

The RTI response revealed that ₹26 lakh was disbursed as compensation between October 2019 and February 2024.

The highest amount, ₹15.65 lakh, was paid in 2023-24 alone.

In earlier years, ₹1.78 lakh was paid in 2019-20, none in 2020-21 (likely due to pandemic-related disruptions), ₹96,000 in 2021-22, and ₹7.74 lakh in 2022-23.

Despite these details, IRCTC declined to share the specific reasons for discontinuing the scheme, citing confidentiality.

The decision to halt compensation has sparked questions, as passengers valued this gesture for its customer-centric approach.

As IRCTC focuses on catering to passenger needs, clarity on such policy changes remains essential to maintaining trust and satisfaction.

The scheme’s end has drawn mixed reactions from passengers. Many saw the initiative as a step towards accountability and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Its removal, however, raises questions about IRCTC’s commitment to addressing passenger grievances.

As private train services expand, IRCTC must prioritize transparency and efficient service delivery to retain public trust.

Whether through alternative measures or improved operational reliability, maintaining passenger confidence will remain vital in this competitive travel segment.

Image Credit: Aditidutttyagi10, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trains_at_railway_yard_in_India.jpg