MPs urge Centre to restore train fare concessions to elders, scribes

 New Delhi: Several members in the Lok Sabha on Monday urged the Centre to restore the concession in train fares for senior citizens and journalists that was withdrawn during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Initiating the debate on the demands for grants for the railway ministry, Congress leader Tariq Anwar said the decision to suspend the concession had caused disappointment among many, particularly senior citizens.

“I urge the railway minister to clarify when the concessions given in the train tickets to the senior citizens will be restored,” he said.

Trinamul Congress member June Maliah also called for restoring the concessions for senior citizens, journalists and cultural activists.

“These concessions are gestures of respect for individuals who contribute to the social, cultural and democratic life of our country,” she said.

Before the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020, the Railways offered concessions on fares for senior citizens and government-accredited journalists. The concessions applied to all classes of Mail, Express, Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duranto trains but were withdrawn on March 20, 2020.

Senior citizens in the category of males and transgender persons were eligible for a 40 per cent concession, while women senior citizens were entitled to a 50 per cent concession. Accredited journalists received a 50 per cent concession, which was also extended twice a year to their spouses or companions and children up to 18 years of age.

A parliamentary standing committee in 2023 had also recommended restoring the concession for senior citizens.

During the debate, Anwar also said the funds allocated for Kavach, the indigenous automatic train protection system designed to prevent accidents, were insufficient. He also raised concerns about the pace of railway station redevelopment projects under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme.

June Maliah alleged that West Bengal had received uneven budget allocations compared to other states and called for greater investment in upgrading railway stations in the state.

JD(U) MP Kaushalendra Kumar supported the demand for restoring concessions and also urged the government to increase the number of sleeper coaches, which had been reduced during the pandemic.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant called for doubling the Konkan railway line and suggested installing a statue of Shivaji Maharaj at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

Participating in the discussion, BJP MP Ganesh Singh praised the government’s efforts to modernise the railways, highlighting the expansion of Vande Bharat trains, progress in bullet train projects and the implementation of the Kavach safety system.

He said connectivity projects such as the Udhampur-Baramulla railway line in Jammu and Kashmir and the Chenab bridge represented major milestones in railway infrastructure. Singh also said additional funds had been allocated for railway expansion in the Northeast and mentioned plans for a railway tunnel in the Siliguri corridor to ensure uninterrupted connectivity to the region.