Senior citizens distraught over Railways’ decision to permanently remove train fare concession
BENGALURU: The decision by Indian Railways to permanently withdraw the concession in train fares for senior citizens has upset the beneficiaries thoroughly. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who had specified this in the Lok Sabha in a written reply in March this year, reiterated this at a press meet in Chennai last week. With normalcy returning to travel across sectors, seniors were hoping their subsidised travel withdrawn on health and safety grounds during COVID-19 from March 2020 would be restored.
CPI MP from Kerala Binoy Viswam on Monday urged the Railway Minister to restore it as crores of senior citizens have been affected due to its withdrawal.
Senior citizens have enjoyed this privilege for decades with men (60 years and above) given a 40% discount on the train ticket and women (58 years and above) given 50% on it.
