Right to Information (RTI) Questions asked under the law have revealed that Indian Railways has earned additional revenue of over Rs 5,800 crore from senior citizens since the withdrawal of concessions given to senior citizens in train fares. The Railway Ministry had withdrawn the concession given to senior citizens on train fares after the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 20, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Till that time, Railways used to give 50 percent discount in train fare to women passengers and 40 percent discount to male and transgender senior citizens. After the removal of this exemption, senior citizens have to pay the same fare as other passengers.
Information received from RTI
As per railway norms, men and transgenders aged 60 years and above and women aged 58 years and above are considered senior citizens. The picture regarding the situation after the end of the concession in passenger fare given to the elderly has become clear from the responses received on some RTI applications. Madhya Pradesh resident Chandra Shekhar Gaur has filed applications under the RTI Act at different times and has obtained information that from March 20, 2020 to January 31, 2024, Railways has earned additional revenue of more than Rs 5,875 crore under this head. Gaur said, “I filed three applications under the RTI Act. In the first application, the Railways provided me with additional revenue data from March 20, 2020 to March 31, 2022. In the second application, data from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 was revealed. Whereas from the third application filed in February 2024, I got the details from April 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024.”
Statistics given by year and gender
Sharing copies of these RTI replies, he said, “Railways has given data on the basis of year and gender. With the help of these we can easily find out the additional revenue collected by the Railways from March 20, 2020 to January 31, 2024.” These copies show that in a period of about four years, about 13 crore men, nine crore Women and 33,700 transgender senior citizens made train journeys giving a total revenue of about Rs 13,287 crore. “Calculating the concession of 50 per cent for women and 40 per cent concession for male and transgender senior citizen passengers already applicable, this amount works out to more than Rs 5,875 crore,” Gaur said.
Demand to restore exemption has been raised
Questions related to restoration of concessions in train fares to senior citizens after the end of the pandemic have been raised at various forums including both the Houses of Parliament. However, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, without giving any direct answer to this, had said that Indian Railways gives 55 percent discount on train fare to every railway passenger. Vaishnav had said in a press conference in January, 2024, “If the price of a train ticket to a destination is Rs 100, then the Railways is charging only Rs 45 from the passenger. Thus giving a concession of Rs 55 on the journey. In this context, Gaur said that the present government has only withdrawn the concessions instead of making any new offer, hence this shows that more concessions should be given on the purchase of train tickets than Rs 55 before Covid-19. Were staying.
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