New Delhi: Charging passengers the full fare for tickets booked under the Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) category—despite not providing a full berth—is unjustified, the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has observed.
In its report titled “Punctuality and Travel Time in Train Operations in Indian Railways”, tabled in Parliament on Wednesday, the committee stated that passengers who continue to remain in the RAC category after chart preparation are often compelled to travel without a confirmed berth, even though they pay the full ticket price.
The committee pointed out that under the existing system, two RAC passengers are required to share a single berth while both are charged the full fare. Calling this practice unfair, the PAC recommended that the Railway Ministry devise a structured mechanism to refund a portion of the fare to passengers who do not receive a full berth during their journey.
The panel urged the Railways to implement corrective measures at the earliest and keep the committee informed about the steps taken in this regard.
Concerns Over ‘Superfast’ Train Classification
The PAC also raised serious concerns over the criteria used to classify trains as Superfast. It recalled that in 2007, Indian Railways decided that trains running at an average speed of at least 55 kmph on broad gauge and 45 kmph on metre gauge would be designated as Superfast trains.
However, the committee noted that this benchmark is outdated and excessively low. Audit findings revealed that out of 478 Superfast trains currently in operation, 123 have scheduled speeds below the prescribed 55 kmph threshold.
Responding to the observations, the Railway Ministry informed the committee that a review of these 123 trains showed that 47 were operating above 55 kmph as per updated data. For the remaining trains, the ministry attributed the reduced average speed to additional stoppages introduced after the commencement of regular operations.
Expressing dissatisfaction, the committee said the Railways had failed to adhere to its own classification norms. It concluded that the continued tagging of slower trains as Superfast appeared to be primarily aimed at levying higher fares.
The PAC further asserted that trains falling below the stipulated speed should be removed from the Superfast category and their fares revised accordingly. Describing the current benchmark as “anachronistic and conservative,” the committee highlighted that countries such as China and Japan operate trains at significantly higher speeds, underscoring the need for India to update its standards.
