Concessional fares cost railways ₹5,475cr, HC told

Concessional fares cost railways ₹5,475cr, HC told

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.09.2020

Southern Railway has informed the Madras high court that ticket fare concession to senior citizens was suspended to discourage unnecessary travel in view of the pandemic. It further submitted that between 2016 and 2019, it had incurred₹5,475 crore revenue loss providing concessions.

Prior to March 20, railways had more than 50 categories of passengers, including persons with disability, 11 categories of patients, youths, farmers, artists, sportspersons, medical professional, senior citizens, awardees, war widows, students and press correspondents, enjoying concessions, said P T Ramkumar, counsel for the railways.

In his submissions, representing general manager of Southern Railway, in response to a public interest writ petition filedby A S MohammedKhader Meeran, the counsel said: “The element of concession extended was varying from 10% to 100% depending upon the category. However, in view of Covid-19, a lot of train services were cancelled across the country and it was decided to grant concessions only for four categories – disabled passengers, 11 categories of patients and students.”

This decision was taken in view of a health advisory issued by the Central government due to Covid-19 and to discourage passengers from undertaking non-essential travel, Ramkumar said.

The PIL sought a direction to the railways to take steps to restart ticket booking with concession throughonline portalof IRCTC.

As to the demand to reopen online booking for concession ticketsunder patients’category, Ramkumar submitted that concessional tickets are issued to11 categories of patients across the reservation counter on production of original medical certificate. Such tickets can also be purchased by any other person on behalf of the patients on production of the original certificate issued by the doctor of a recognised hospital. Since such verification is a pre-condition, online booking cannot be permitted, he said.

Recording the submissions, a division bench of Justice M M Sundresh and Justice R Hemalatha adjourned the hearing to September 18.