Refund & Cancellation Policy

Pathrika Tech Solutions (doing business as "Pathrika") acts strictly as a technology platform that provides billing software and facilitates online payment collection between independent Newspaper Delivery Agents ("Agents") and their subscribers ("Customers").

Because of our role as a technology intermediary, our refund and cancellation rules are structured as follows:

1. CANCELLATION POLICY

For Customers (Subscribers):

• Service Cancellations: Pathrika does not physically print, distribute, or deliver newspapers. If you wish to cancel, pause, or modify your physical newspaper delivery, you must request this directly through your Agent or via the request features provided within your Pathrika Customer Portal.
• Payment Cancellations: Once a UPI or Card payment has been authorized and successfully processed through the payment gateway, it cannot be cancelled by the customer through the Pathrika platform.

For Agents:

Agents may choose to stop using the Pathrika platform at any time. Any pending platform fees owed for services already rendered or cash collections already recorded must be cleared prior to account closure.

2. REFUND POLICY

A. Failed Transactions (Technical Errors)

If a Customer attempts to pay a bill and the transaction fails—meaning the amount is debited from the Customer's bank account but the invoice is not marked as "Paid" on the Pathrika platform—this is considered a technical failure.

• In such cases, the payment gateway will automatically initiate a refund.
• The funds will be credited back to the original source of payment (Bank Account, UPI, or Card) within 5 to 7 working days.

B. Successful Gateway Transactions & Service Disputes

When a Customer pays via the online payment gateway (Smart Collect), the funds are collected through our gateway partner and subsequently settled to the Agent's bank account (minus platform fees).

• No Direct Platform Refunds: Because Pathrika is a billing SaaS platform and not the delivery provider, we do not issue direct refunds for service-related disputes (e.g., missed deliveries, damaged papers, or billing disagreements).
• Dispute Resolution: If a Customer has a grievance or requests a refund for a successful payment, they must resolve the dispute directly with their Agent. Any agreed refund must be issued by the Agent directly or credited against the following month's bill via the Pathrika adjustment tools.

C. Direct Peer-to-Peer Payments (Direct UPI & Cash)

For Direct UPI transfers and Cash collections, funds are received 100% directly by the Agent without passing through Pathrika. Pathrika holds no custody over these funds. Consequently, Pathrika cannot process, reverse, or refund any direct transfers. All inquiries regarding Direct UPI payments must be addressed directly to the Agent.

D. Pathrika Credits (Prepaid Top-ups for Agents)

Agents purchase prepaid "Pathrika Credits" to pay pay-as-you-go software service fees when recording direct collections (both Direct UPI and Cash transactions).

• Non-Refundable: Once purchased, Pathrika Credits are strictly non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for cash or transferred to any external bank account. They act as a closed-loop software service credit.
• Validity: Credits do not expire as long as the Agent's account remains active.
• Account Closure: If an Agent chooses to terminate their Pathrika account, any unused Pathrika Credits remaining in their wallet will be permanently forfeited.

3. PLATFORM FEES

For Agents: The platform usage fees and gateway processing fees deducted by Pathrika on successful online transactions are strictly non-refundable, as they cover the cost of the software infrastructure and the third-party payment processing that has already occurred.

4. CONTACT US

If you have experienced a technical payment failure or have questions regarding a transaction processed through our platform, please contact our support team with your Transaction ID: