Do not expect concessions in train fare for senior citizens and sportspersons to be restored anytime soon as Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, today told Parliament that the such cuts "weigh heavily" on it. All discounts -- the most prominent being at least 40 per cent for senior citizens -- were stopped around two years ago when the Covid pandemic hit services.
Today, Mr Vaishnaw said concessions to "four categories of persons with disabilities, 11 categories of patients, and students" was continued "in spite of challenges". But continuing the discounts for the elderly and sportspersons is "not desirable", as per his written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
For the discount to senior citizens, in the three years before the pandemic hit, "the Railways has forgone Rs 4,794 crore as revenue... during 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 for both reserved and unreserved categories".
He said the Railways is already bearing more than 50 per cent of the cost of travel, on an average, for all passengers as it has low fares for passenger services.
"Apart from this, due to COVID-19, passenger earnings for the last two years is less in comparison to 2019-20. These have long-term impact on the financial health of the railways. Cost of granting concessions weighs heavily on the railways, hence extending scope of concessions to all categories of passengers, including senior citizens, is not desirable," he explained.
