Responsibilities of Unreserved Railway Passengers-1

Many think it is the responsibility of the Railway Authorities to Guide properly. But people seldom care, as Passengers they too have some responsibilities to perform. They only feel and think of rights in the concept of purchasing a Railway service. We shall discuss some points of significance here:

The following are for Unreserved Passengers:

1. Passengers must turn up to the railway station in time, well before to purchase the tickets and board their train before it departs.
2. They must calculate unforeseen delays in the transit from their homes to the Railway station by road (like traffic jams, traffic signals, etc.) as well as at stations (queue for purchasing tickets, inquiring the platform number, reaching the right platform by using foot-over bridge , engaging the porter to carry heavy luggage and/or wheelchair for senior citizens, etc.) and plan the departure from their homes accordingly.
3. They are always advised to use the services of Licensed Porters only whenever required, not outsiders and unknown persons. Entrusting Luggage to strangers is not safe.
   
4. All the passengers can now purchase unreserved tickets 3 days in advance, to avoid last minute rush at the counters, provided starting station falls in the same zone as that of ticket issuing station. Date of commencement of journey has to be mentioned on the advance ticket. In case, the passenger wishes to board the train on a date other than the one mentioned on the advance ticket, a fresh ticket is required to be purchased, canceling the old ticket. Normally unreserved tickets are canceled at the same station and same counter where it is purchased. Refund is given after deducting the cancellation charge, normally.
   
5. Unreserved Tickets can be issued FROM ANY STATION TO ANY STATION in the Indian Railways.
6. They must decide first to which train they should go, and then should know what type of train it is, whether it is a normal mail/express train or superfast train or an ordinary (passenger) train. If any Express train number starts with '2', it is a superfast train. This applies to all over Indian Railways.
   
7. They must clearly ask for the station, class and number of passengers at the counter.
8. They must take a half ticket for every child who completed 5 years of age and a full ticket for every person who completed 12 years of age.
   
9. They must check the ticket and change before leaving the counter.
   
10. They must check the class of ticket purchased: IIM/E for unreserved class in Normal express trains, II SUPERFAST or II SUP or II SUPF or II SF for unreserved class in Superfast express trains, and II ORD for unreserved class in Ordinary Passenger trains.
    
11. They must always purchase tickets from authorized ticket booking counters provided by railways, no touts to be believed in this regard.
12. They must always rely upon nominated "Enquiry counters" for the want of information.
13. In case no such counters are available, must always contact authorized officials at stations such as TC or SM, but must never depend upon every Tom, Dick and Harry.
14. They must ensure that they are carrying the luggage within the free allowance of 35kgs per adult and 17.5 kg per child, while traveling in unreserved compartment. Luggage in excess of free allowance is to be booked, ("Luggage" topic shall be dealt separately in the coming posts in this blog) or else if detected, by ticket checking staff enroute or at destination is liable to be paid 6 times the normal luggage rates.
15. They must board the compartment of the concerned class of ticket for which they are originally holding the ticket; for this the unreserved passenger is required to inquire and know where the correct unreserved (general) compartment is.
16. In case they board a higher class, they are required to pay DIFFERENCE OF FARE PLUS RESERVATION CHARGE (IF ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE) or DIFFERENCE OF FARE PLUS EXCESS CHARGE(IF ACCOMMODATION IS NOT AVAILABLE). The EXCESS CHARGE is subject to a minimum of Rs.250.
    
17. In case they are unable to board train due to heavy rush, they must not hang on the foot-board and risk the life. They can go by same ticket to their destination, by another train in the same route, and is of the same type as that of the ticket held (M/E, SF, ORD) before the midnight of the same date, before the date changes.
18. Every passenger needs to know that the Date changes at 12AM (Mid-Night) every day. Remember December 31st Midnight 12AM in this context, when all Welcome the New Year, and Wish one another because, the Date changes.
    
19. If there is no such train, they need to cancel the ticket and take refund. Refund will be given duely deducting the cancellation charges applicable.
20. If a train for the required destination is available, but goes via a longer route, passenger needs to pay the difference of fare. This can be done before boarding by paying and taking a receipt from station TC or TE (or SM in case of small stations) or at the IFC (Information Facilitation Counters) provided at stations or even to the Ticket Checking staff enroute. Please note that Ticket Checking staff cannot collect Excess Charge (Usually popular as 'penalty' or 'fine') in this particular case.
    
21. They must show their tickets to the ticket checking staff in trains, whenever asked for and must surrender their tickets at the destination to the Ticket Collector / Ticket Examiner.