Indian Railways to restore fare concession for senior citizens? Here's a fact check

After a few media reports claimed that  Indian Railways will restore fare concessions for senior citizens, it has now been fact-checked that information is false. A section of media h published reports that Indian Railways has decided to resume concession for senior citizens with effect from July 1. 

It has now been clarified that Indian Railways has not me any such official announcement as of now. Its official Twitter handle shared a tweet by fact check team of Press Information Bureau (PIB) which claims report of fare concession is factually incorrect. 

In month of May, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw h confirmed at an event that concession for senior citizens will not be resumed as Indian Railways is operating at a subsidised rate. While speaking to reporters, Union Minister h said, “For every Rs 100 spent towards operational expenses, Railways collects only Rs 45 from a passenger. We have to contribute to keeping railways a sustainable mode of transport.”

Why were  concessions for senior citizens suspended? 

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) used to provide senior citizens with benefit of availing concessions for travelling in express trains across India. se concessions would help elderly travel at nominal amounts and chances of ir ticket clearances and seat confirmations were higher than or citizens of India. concessions were valid for Mail, Express, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Jan Shatabdi and Duronto group of trains.

Earlier, concessional fares were rebated as 40 per cent for men and 50 per cent for women. Men over 60 years of age and women over 58 years of age were eligible for se discounts. However, it was suspended in March 2020, after outbreak of  COVID-19 pandemic in country.