Budget 2017: IRCTC service charge waiver makes rail ticket marginally cheaper

Moneycontrol Bureau

Railway tickets booked online through Indian Railways’ IRCTC portal will get marginally cheaper as they will no longer attract a service charge. Sleeper class tickets booked on IRCTC website are issued against a service charge of Rs 20 per transaction, while AC class tickets for Rs 40 approximately.The move is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India and cashless India missions which advocate the use of technology as medium of payments.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech on Wednesday announced the withdrawal of service charge. “Railways will offer competitive ticket booking facility to the public at large. Service charge on e-tickets booked through IRCTC has been withdrawn. Cashless reservations have gone up from 58 percent to 68 percent,” he said.The Railway Ministry will be focus on four key areas — passenger safety; capital and development works; cleanliness; and finance and accounting reforms, he said.

To focus on passenger grievance and redressal, Jaitley proposed set up of ‘Coach Mitra’ facility — a single window interface to register all coach related complaints and requirements.

Besides, the government expects all coaches of Indian Railways will be fitted with bio toilets by 2019. “Pilot plants for environment friendly disposal of solid waste and conversion of biodegradable waste to energy are being set up at New Delhi and Jaipur railway stations. Five more such solid waste management plants are now being taken up,” Jaitley said.

Jaitley also proposed a new Metro Rail Policy for urban commute and creation of jobs. “A new Metro Rail Policy will be announced with focus on innovative models of implementation and financing, as well as standardisation and indigenisation of hardware and software. This will open up new job opportunities for our youth, ”he said.

“A new Metro Rail Act will be enacted by rationalising the existing laws. This will facilitate greater private participation and investment in construction and operation,” he said.