Missed Train Due To Maha Kumbh Rush? Here's How To Get Refund From Indian Railways

Visuals from several states, including Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, showed people resorting to violence, breaking windows' glasses and doors to get in train amid huge rush.

Passengers try to board a crowded train amid a huge rush owing to ongoing Prayagraj's Maha Kumbh Mela at the Patna Railway Station.

Source : PTI

The ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj has led to a huge rush in trains travelling through Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Several videos from across states showed crowded trains, passengers locking themselves inside coaches and those left outside using force to open the doors.

Visuals from states, including Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh showed people resorting to violence, breaking windows' glasses and doors to get in train amid huge rush. 

The crowded trains and unprecedented rush of passengers heading for Prayagraj has also led to situations where several passengers couldn't board the trains despite having reservations. 

In a recent incident reported from Patna, around 150 passengers were unable to board the Kumbh special train at Patna Junction on Sunday as the passengers at Rajendra Nagar Terminal locked the doors of the coaches. The unprecedented rush of passengers for Maha Kumbh Mela was seen at several stations across Bihar, including Patna, Danapur, Ara, Gaya, Sasaram, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, and Darbhanga. 

In similar cases from other states, several passengers have been unable to board the trains due to the crowded trains or gates locked from the inside.

The Indian Railways have laid out rules for passengers, with valid reservation tickets, to claim a refund in such circumstances.

Rules For Refund In Case Of Missed Trains

If a passenger misses his train, they are required to immediately contact the Station Master or the Deputy Station Master of the Railway Station where they were supposed to board the train.

The passenger will be given a form, which he has to submit before the Station Master or Deputy Station Master. The Railway official will verify the passenger’s form and then issue a memo stating that the passenger was not provided with their seat and is therefore eligible for a refund. 

The passenger then has to submit their memo along with their journey ticket at the ticket counter to receive the refund. A 5 per cent clerical charge will also be deducted from the refund amount. However, in such circumstances where the passenger misses the train, the passenger has to reach the Station Master within three hours of the train's departure.

The Maha Kumbh will officially come to a close on February 26, coinciding with the Maha Shivratri festival. According to official estimates more than 50 crore people have visited Prayagraj so far for a holy dip in the Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical river Saraswati.