The Railway Ministry is again going to give relaxation in railway tickets to senior citizens and sportspersons. This service was banned during the Corona epidemic.
There is a good news for the senior citizens and sportsmen category railway passengers. They may soon get concession in ticket fares. According to a report, the Ministry of Railways is considering giving some concession in rail fares for various categories of passengers including senior citizens and sportspersons. Indian Railways had banned this service during the Corona period. However, the Ministry of Railways reconsidered this, and this facility was started again.
A senior Railway Ministry official was quoted by TOI as saying, “We are considering whether some concessions in fares can be reintroduced. There is complete normalcy now with respect to rail travel.”
Criticisms were being made on stopping the concessions
The Centre’s stand of closing the concessions during the Corona epidemic was criticized by the common travelers. Recently, BJP MP Varun Gandhi had also raised questions on this. He had said, “When MPs keep getting subsidy on rail fares, why is this relief seen as a “burden”.
The burden on railways’ finances from concessions
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Railways, in a written reply to Parliament, claimed that the cost of granting concessions puts a “heavy burden” on its finances. Further, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav recently said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha that the national transporter is already bearing more than 50 per cent of the average travel cost for all passengers, including senior citizens. He further informed that during 2019-20, around 22.6 lakh senior citizens had opted to leave the passenger fare concession scheme.
