Facility of change of name on concessional tickets.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS 

(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. 2011/TG-I/20/P/2

Date: 31.01.2017

Chief Commercial Managers, 

All Zonal Railways.

(COMMERCIAL CIRCULAR NO. 14 OF 2017)

Sub: Facility of change of name on concessional tickets.

As per extant instructions, a berth/seat reserved in the name of any person has to be used only by that person and is not transferable to any other person except under the conditions mentioned in the Passengers (Change of Names) Rules, 1990 and subsequent amendment made in 1997.

1.2 In these Rules, para 3(2) (b) governs the change of name within the family which inter-alia states that any Railway servant authorised in this behalf by a Railway administration may permit the change of name of a passenger having a seat or berth reserved in his name, where the passengers makes a request in writing 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the train that the reservation made in his name be transferred to another member of his family.

2. The issue regarding giving the facility of change of name between the passengers of one family holding concessional and non-concessional ticket or with different element of concession was examined during the meeting of the Committee constituted to examine the suggestions received for modification in the software and it was decided that the change of names will not be allowed on tickets issued on concessions. A copy of these minutes was circulated to all Zonal Railways vide this office letter no. 98/TG- 1/20/P/PRS/Pt. dated 06.12.1999.

3. Recently a case was filed in a consumer court wherein the facility of change of name was denied between a senior citizen couple as both are given different element of concession. The case was contested on the above lines, however, the consumer court did not accept the copy of minutes of the meeting produced before it to support the provision regarding non-granting of facility of change of name on the tickets issued under concession. The appeal against this decision was filed in State Consumer Forum where Hon'ble Commission has directed the counsel to seek certain instructions of the competent authority on this issue.

3.1 The matter has been examined in this office in consultation with Finance Directorate of Ministry of Railways and it has been decided that since it is a facility provided to the passengers, suitable restrictions can be imposed to avoid its misuse and it cannot be claimed as a matter of right. As such, it has been decided that the facility of change of name shall not be permissible on the tickets issued on concession.

4. This issues with the concurrence of Finance Directorate of Ministry of Railways.

5. This disposes off Northern Railway's letter no. 1-RTA/0/Genl.Policy/ 2016 dated 12.01.2017. Northern Railway may file the reply in Hon'ble State Consumer Forum on the above lines.

(Vikram Singh)

Director Passenger Marketing Railway Board