Service charge on e-tickets further reduced

New Delhi, June 9 (UNI) Enthused by the growing popularity of the Internet-based e-ticketing facility, the Railway Ministry has reduced the service charge from Rs 15 to Rs 10 for sleepr class reserved tickets.

''However, the service charge of Rs 40 for AC class tickets through e-ticketing as well as that of home-delivered I-tickets booked on the IRCTC portal has been left untouched,'' Mr Sudhir Kumar, OSD to the Railway Minister, said today.

The minimum charge per ticket will be Rs 10 while an additional Rs five will be charge for every additional passenger, subject to a maximum of Rs 25.

The reduction in service charge, which has become effective from yesterday, is part of the Railways' strategy to encourage distance booking of tickets through electronic use.

''At present, around 36,000 tickets accounting for one lakh passengers are being booked daily through e-ticketing. We have a target to increase this number to one lakh tickets and three lakh passengers by the next fiscal,'' Mr Kumar said.

The service charge for sleepr class e-ticketing facility, which started in 2005-06, was Rs 60, and it was reduced to Rs 40 in 2006-07. In the 2007-08 Budget, it was further brought down to Rs 15.

''Since the volume of e-ticketing is constantly on the upswing, it has been found feasible to reduce the service charge to Rs 10,'' he said, pointing out that in 2005-06 only 700-800 tickets were booked daily. ''If the volume keeps increasing, we may further reduce service charge.'' Mr Kumar said the Railways was in the process of removing shortcomings of e-ticket system such as absence of refund facility, booking of unreserved and waitlist tickets and the exact position of the reserved berths.

''A passenger is not sure whether he would get a lower, middle or upper berth if he books a berth at the e-ticketing facility avaialable at petrol pumpms, cyber cafes and designated bank ATMs,'' he pointed out.

The official said the Railways was seriously planning to introduce rechargeable cash cards for e-ticketing.

UNI