Indian Railways: Railways provides various facilities to senior citizens, one of them being that they are given priority for the lower berth. But many times they do not get the lower berth.
New Delhi: Indian Railways: Senior citizens are given priority of lower berth while traveling in trains. But many times it happens that despite requesting to give priority to the lower berth for senior citizens during ticket booking, they get middle berth and sometimes upper berth instead of lower berth. This causes problems for senior citizens.
Why senior citizens didn’t get lower berths?
In fact, a few days ago on Twitter, a passenger has asked this question to the Indian Railways and said that why is it so, it should be corrected. Tagging Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, the passenger has written that what is the logic of running the seat allotment, I had booked tickets for three senior citizens with lower berth preference, then 102 berths were available, despite that they were given middle berth, Upper berth and side lower berth were given. You should repair it.
@IRCTCofficial what logic do you run for seat allocation, I had booked tickets for 3 senior citizens with preference of lower berth , there are 102 berths available, yet allocated berths are middle, upper and side lower. U need to correct same.@AshwiniVaishnaw
— jitendra S (@jitendrasarda) September 11, 2021
Answer of IRCTC
IRCTC has given its clarification on Twitter on this question of the passenger. IRCTC replied that- Sir, Lower berths/Senior Citizen quota berths are only 60 years and above, lower berths earmarked for female age of 45 years and above, when she is single or two passengers (travelling on one ticket). under the norms). IRCTC further said that if there are more than two senior citizens or one is a senior citizen and the other is not a senior citizen, the system will not consider it.
Sir, Lower berth/Sr. Citizen quota berths are lower berths earmarked only for male age of 60 years and above/female age of 45 years and above, when traveling alone or two passengers ( under mentioned criteria traveling on one ticket. 1/2
-IRCTC Official
— Indian Railways Seva (@RailwaySeva) September 11, 2021
Concessional tickets were also suspended
The Indian Railways had last year suspended concessional tickets for several categories of people, including senior citizens, to discourage non-essential travel in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The Railways also said that the concessions for senior citizens have been withdrawn as the risk of spread and mortality due to the COVID-19 virus is highest in that category.
In view of the ongoing health advisory regarding COVID-19 and discouraging passengers from undertaking non-essential travel, it has been decided as a special case to have no concessional Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) and passenger reservation for all classes. System (PRS) is not a ticket. Except students, four categories of passengers will be issued to Divyangjan and 11 category of patients.
