Update on Indian Railways Senior citizens will receive discounts of up to 55% on rail tickets; the decision will now be made.
The Southern Railway provided information indicating that the revenue had increased by about 80%. In the passenger segment, it was Rs 6,345 billion during the 2022–23 fiscal year. This year’s income is the highest ever.
This growth can be attributed to the increasing number of people opting for air travel due to the convenience and affordability offered by airlines. Additionally, the government’s focus on developing regional airports and improving air connectivity has also contributed to this surge in revenue.
Senior Citizen Ticket Discount: The previous fiscal year was exceptional in many ways for the railways. During this time, eight Vande Bharat trains on various routes were launched with the passengers’ convenience in mind. In addition to this, a significant increase in passenger fare and freight revenue was seen.
The Vande Bharat trains were equipped with modern amenities and technology to enhance the travel experience of passengers. The increase in revenue can be attributed to the government’s efforts to improve the railway infrastructure and services.
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64 crore passengers travelled in Indian Railways in 2022-2023
During this time in the previous fiscal year, Southern Railway generated revenues totaling Rs 3,539.77 crore. Previously, the financial year 2019–20 saw Southern Railway generate Rs 5,225 crore in revenue. According to the Southern Railway’s official press release, 64 crore passengers will have travelled in 2022–2023. This is an increase of 88.5% over the 34 crore passengers in 2021–2022.
The Southern Railways has attributed this projected increase to the expected easing of COVID-19 restrictions and the resumption of normal train services. The railways have also announced plans to increase their fleet and improve infrastructure to accommodate the growing demand.
Demand to restore Concession
Additionally, Southern Railway has made significant progress in the goods sector. This includes the 4.05 MT of cargo that was loaded to the highest level ever, as well as the 5.2 MT of petroleum and the 3.23 MT of food grains. There is a demand to reinstate the senior citizen ticket discount following the enormous earnings for the Railways.
The senior citizen ticket discount was removed in 2020 due to the pandemic, but with the increase in revenue, many believe it should be brought back to benefit the elderly population. This move could also help boost passenger traffic and further increase earnings for the Railways
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Let us inform you that the Railways discontinued the senior citizen fare concession in March 2020, during the Corona period. Even after the Railways had regularised all the facilities, the passenger fare concession was not reinstated.
This has caused inconvenience to many senior citizens who rely on this concession for their travel needs. It is important for the Railways to reconsider their decision and reinstate the senior citizen fare concession.