The vast majority of Indians rely on the Indian Railways for their intercity and long-distance travels. In order to make rail travel affordable for senior citizens, the government used to provide discounts up to 50 per cent on the fare. But this was withdrawn during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

To put it in context, the senior population (aged 60 and above) is increasing fast. According to United Nations projections, this elderly population, which was approximately 138 million in 2021, is projected to reach around 193 million by 2031.

Also, there are many seniors, who are do not receive pension or have any other source of regular income. For such citizens, a 50 per cent concession on train tickets was a huge relief, but once it was withdrawn, it has not been resumed despite several demands.

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What Members Of Parliament Are Demanding 

After Budget 2024-25 did not mention anything regarding reintroducing the senior citizen concession on train travel, Members of Parliament (MPs) raised questions and urged the government to resume the concession.

According to PTI, MPs including Durai Vaiko and independent MP Pappu Yadav asked the government to resume the benefit to senior citizens and journalists.

“I urge the honourable minister to restore this 50 per cent concession on train tickets to senior citizens and media,” Vaiko said in the debate for Railway grants in Lok Sabha.

“A parliamentary standing committee had last year recommended the resumption of the fare concession offered to senior citizens by the railways before the coronavirus pandemic. These concessions were granted in fares of all classes of Mail/Express/Rajdhani/ Shatabdi/Duranto group of trains, but were withdrawn on March 20, 2020”, reported PTI.

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Income From Withdrawal Of Railway Concession To Senior Citizens

The railways earned around Rs 2,242 crore from senior citizens in financial year 2022-23, and around Rs 5,875 crore from March 20, 2020 to January 31, 2024. The Indian Railways had given this data in response to an RTI application filed by Madhya Pradesh-based Chandra Shekhar Gaur.

However, on the question of restoring the concession, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said earlier this year that there is already a 55 per cent concession being offered to all passengers on all train fares.

While demand for concessions in train fares for senior citizens has still not been fulfilled in Budget 2024-25, the government has been keen on offering free pilgrimage travel to seniors. In the Interim Budget 2024 in February this year, Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman proposed a boost for spiritual tourism. The minister allocated a higher outlay for the Integrated Development of Tourist Circuits around specific themes (Swadesh Darshan).

She said: “Our middle class also aspires to travel and explore. Tourism, including spiritual tourism, has tremendous opportunities for local entrepreneurship.”

There are states, including Delhi, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, among others, which are offering free travel to seniors on specific pilgrimages. But there is no word from the government or the Railways on reintroducing the concession on train travel to senior citizens as was previously available.