journey on indian railways might be stressful for us sometimes, but for travellers and explorers from different parts of the world, it was like a new experience. That’s why many foreigners travel to India just to travel on the Indian Railways.
It’s not only about foreigners; even Indians love to travel on Indian railways as they are pretty budget-friendly and they are spread over a very deep network which goes through different kinds of landscapes and natural wonders.
Though most train travel is quite inexpensive, we may have to pay a lot sometimes, even for peeing, due to uncertain things and misunderstandings. Something similar recently happened with the British tourists at Agra Railway Station and went on to become one of the most talked-about subjects in the country.
Nonetheless, IRCTC has now responded to all this and cleared up all the confusion. So let’s first find out what actually happened:
British tourists were charged Rs 224 for using the toilet at the railway station
Most travellers have used public restrooms at some point for a fee of Rs 5 or Rs 10, but for two British tourists, it turned out to be an expensive experience. They claim that the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) charged them Rs 224 for using the Executive Lounge restroom at the Agra Cantonment railway station.
The issue was made public when travellers leaving the British Embassy in New Delhi discovered they had to pay Rs. 112 apiece to use the restroom at the Agra Cantt. Lounge.
When the British tourists asked their guide, IC Shrivastava, for instructions, he led them to the toilet.
In what appears to be the first instance of its sort, media sources indicate that the final price included a Goods and Services Tax, or GST, of 12% (divided in half) over the lounge cost.
Since this news was covered by some of the leading media houses in the country, many people are also expressing their thoughts on social media about this news.
Why do they have to pay more than usual?
According to reports, visitors visiting Agra had to pay Rs 224 (for two people) to use the restroom at the Agra Cantt Railway Station, despite merely using the urinals and spending five minutes there. Now, IRCTC has corrected this, claiming that the media inaccurately covered every detail of the incident.
Although paying Rs. 112 for people to urinate seemed a little excessive, an IRCTC representative explained that the fee was for using the lounge’s services. The lounge manager stated that after a 50% reduction, a minimum cost of Rs. 112 is required.
IRCTC stated that there is a Rs. 200 per person, every 2-hour period, plus 12% GST, admission fee for using the Executive Lounge.
The fees include all facilities offered in the air-conditioned executive lounge, such as TV, comfy recliners, free water, WiFi, beverages (tea and coffee), and restrooms. After paying the regular admission fees and entering the lounge, travellers are free to enjoy any or all of these amenities.
The railway organisation also said that restrooms are offered “free of charge” in first-class and sleeper class waiting rooms at stations, meaning that the British visitors could have visited such waiting rooms and used the urinals there without having to pay
