The IRCTC has requested passengers to not cancel their existing train tickets, promising a full refund for those affected by cancellation of trains till March 31. Doubts had been raised regarding the status of e-tickets, which is why the IRCTC issued a statement to assure citizens. All passenger train services, except for skeletal operations of suburban trains and the Kolkata Metro Rail, have been stopped.
"For trains cancelled by Indian Railways, full refund will be provided automatically by IRCTC. Users need not cancel their e-tickets. Full fare will be credited back into users accounts from which payment was made," the body confirmed. They also warned passengers against false calls that promise a fast refund, and emphasised that no user credentials or action would be required on the consumer side to receive the refund.
If a passenger cancels their e-ticket, the refund amount will be as per Railway Refund rules, which are bound by a time limit. Since this is a direct train cancellation by Indian Railways, the refund will be processed on the following day of what was supposed to be their scheduled departure. Online filing of a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) is currently not required for the refund, said the IRCTC. The refund ought to be processed within 3 to 7 working days of the scheduled departure.
Tickets booked offline at PRS counters will be refunded in person. The PRS refund rules have been relaxed for three months (till June 21, 2020) so that passengers may collect the refund amount without crowding stations. This is to provide ample time for visits, and to abide by social distancing requirements. You can view more PRS refund details here.
For latest alerts, follow the IRCTC website.