Fear prevails, rail passengers cancel tickets; seek refund
JALANDHAR: Despite assurances by the Haryana government that the situation is under control in Panchkula and other parts of the state in the wake of the dera chief verdict, many rail passengers from Punjab mulling to cancel their tickets on Sunday and Monday are demanding full refund.
On Monday, when the CBI court is scheduled to pronounce its judgment against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, many are considering to postpone their travel for the two days.
The passengers are apprehensive since the dera followers burnt an empty train coach in Delhi besides burning government and private vehicles in Punjab and Haryana.
Nearly 450 trains were cancelled after violence broke out in Haryana and Punjab.
At the Jalandhar city railway station, which wore a deserted look on Saturday, had people who had either come to claim reimbursement of their cancelled travel tickets or were enquiring whether the railways had issued any order on giving full reimbursement on tickets to be cancelled on Sunday and Monday.
“As of now, we have received instructions for providing full reimbursement for tickets cancelled on August 26,” said an official.
The railway imposes 25% penalty on the total price if one cancels a ticket 48 hours before the journey and 50% penalty if it is cancelled 24 hours before the scheduled travel time.
No refund is given if just four hours are left for train to leave the station.
The station had reimbursed ₹2.30 lakh to 530 passengers by 2pm on Friday.
Rajneesh Shrivastava, divisional commercial manager (DCM), Ferozepur division, said they can only provide full refund only if the headquarters notifies the same.
Shrivastava further said the division is making arrangements for stranded passengers in various railway stations.
“We have tied up with nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) to provide food and water to the stranded passengers. Many people are stranded in Jammu, Katra and Pathankot railway stations. Many do not have cash to purchase food,” he said. “At Katra, the Vaishno Devi shrine board will serving free food today,” he said.