Now senior citizens can choose to give up train ticket concession

New Delhi.Eager to reduce its huge subsidy burden, the Indian Railway has now given senior citizens the option of foregoing concession on purchase of reserved class tickets.

 

The maximum number of concessions are availed by the senior citizens which alone put a subsidy burden of Rs. 1,100 crore on the transporter last year. Subsidies cost the public sector behemoth about Rs. 1,600 crore in the last fiscal on account of concessions extended to passengers in various categories including senior citizens, sports awardees and cancer patients, among others. 

 

There are 55 categories of passengers who are eligible for concession on train tickets. Earlier, a senior citizen would automatically get the concession upon filling up age-related information in the form for buying tickets, but now they have the option of giving it up. 

 

“Now there is an option being provided to a passenger before purchasing the ticket. If anyone wants not to avail the senior citizen’s concession and is ready to pay the full fare, then he or she can do so. The software has been modified accordingly,” the official said. Business Line