6 Years On, Senior Citizens Await Railway Fair Concession
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
More than 15 crore senior citizens across India continue to await the restoration of the Indian Railways' fare concession scheme, which has remained suspended since the Covid-19 pandemic. With the ongoing Parliament session, elderly passengers are hoping the Centre will announce the return of the long-pending benefit.
Before the pandemic, Indian Railways offered concessional fares to senior citizens. However, the scheme was suspended in March 2020 during Covid-19 and has not been reinstated despite repeated demands from various organisations.
What Was the Concession?
Under the earlier scheme:
- Men aged 60 years and above received 40% concession on the basic railway fare.
- Women aged 58 years and above received 50% concession on the basic fare.
At present, senior citizens are required to pay the full ticket fare.
Senior Citizens Renew Demand
Senior citizen organisations, including those from Rajkot, have once again urged the Railway Ministry and Railway Board to restore the concession. They have also warned that they may launch protests if the demand continues to be ignored.
The organisations argue that the concession was an important financial relief for elderly passengers, particularly those travelling for medical treatment or to visit family.
12 Crore Beneficiaries Before Covid
According to information shared by the Railway Ministry in Parliament, around 12 crore senior citizen journeys availed the concession during 2019-20.
The ministry had also stated that the scheme resulted in a revenue impact of around ₹1,667 crore for the Railways before it was suspended.
With the Parliament session currently underway, senior citizens are hoping the government will take a positive decision and restore the concession after a gap of more than six years.
