Southern Railways has issued a set of instructions for people who book e-tickets through agent outlets so as to eliminate cases of tampering, overcharging etc. In a press statement here, the Railways said that it should be checked and confirmed that the agent outlet is an authorised one. The details of authorised agent outlets are available on the IRCTC website www.irctc.co.in. The photo ID and the authorisation certificate of the agent which will be prominently displayed at the agent outlet should be verified. While filling up the booking/cancellation request, the applicant should insist that his mobile number is fed into the system correctly. An SMS will be received on this number from IRCTC immediately as confirmation of booking.
This SMS serves as a valid ticket which can be shown to the TTE along with the following proof of identity (in original) during travel:
Voters Identity Card/ Passport/ PAN card/ Aadhaar Card (UID)/ driving licence/ photo ID card issued by the Central/State Govt/student ID with photograph issued by recognised school/college/nationalised bank/ pass book with photograph/ credit card with laminated photograph. A print out is not necessary and if taken, it should be ensured that the name, address and contact number of the principal agent is printed.
A receipt for all bookings/cancellations should be insisted upon. e-tickets can be cancelled through the same agent outlet without any additional service charge. No additional charges have to be paid other than the following approved service charges per e-ticket. For First AC, AC 2-tier, AC 3-tier, IRCTC service charges is Rs 20 and agent service charges is Rs 20. For sleeper and second sitting, IRCTC service charge is `10 and agent service charge is `10. Gateway charges, as applicable, will be added. No charges have to be paid for printing or cancellation of tickets. The statement warned the public against buying e-tickets, which are issued between 8 a m and 12 noon, from agents. If anyone is found travelling with such tickets, the ticket is liable to be cancelled and penal action will be initiated under the Railways Act. The website www.irctc.co.in will be open exclusively for individual users from 8 a m to 12 noon. If the agent demands more than the prescribed service charges, complaint may be lodged at agentcomplaint@irctc.co.in (011-23475962) or care@irctc.co.in (011-39340000).