Lok Sabha Question No. 3199 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: Subsidy  in Fare for Divyang and Senior Citizen
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Utkarsh Verma Madhur

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3199 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2025

## SUBSIDY IN FARE FOR DIVYANG AND SENIOR CITIZEN

†3199. SHRI UTKARSH VERMA MADHUR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways has any plan to restore the subsidy in the fare tickets for Divyang and Senior Citizens as given before, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reason therefor;
- (b) the reasons behind not reserving lower berths for the handicapped and senior citizens;
- (c) whether there is any plan to implement this, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of the States of the country where there is plan to run bullet trains;
- (e) whether there is any plan to run bullet train in Uttar Pradesh in the near
- future and if so, the expected time of it's running; and
- (f) the  time  by  when  the  bullet  train  is  likely  to  ply  through  Lakhimpur Kheri?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a):  Indian  Railways strives to provide affordable services to all strata of the society and gave subsidy of ₹56,993 cr on passenger tickets in 202223.  This  amounts  to  concession  of  46%  on  an  average,  to  every  person, travelling on Railways. In other words for easier understanding, if the cost of  providing  service  is  ₹100,  then  the  price  of  ticket  is  ₹54  only.  This subsidy is continuing for all passengers. Further, concessions beyond this subsidy  amount  are  continuing  for  many  categories  like  4  categories  of Persons  with  disabilities  (Divyangjans),  11  categories  of  patients  and  8 categories of students.

- (b) & (c): The following steps have been taken for facilitating provision of lower berths to Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens:
- (i) Allotment of  lower berths to Senior Citizens, Female passengers of 45 years and above automatically, even if no choice is given, subject to availability.
- (ii) Earmarking  of  a  combined  quota  of  six  to  seven  lower  berths  per coach in Sleeper class, four to five lower berths per coach each in Air Conditioned 3 tier (3AC) and three to four lower berths per coach in Air  Conditioned  2  tier  (2AC)  classes  (depending  on  the  number  of coaches  of  that  class  in  the  train) for  senior  citizens,  female passengers 45 years of age and above and pregnant women.
- (iii) Earmarking  of  reservation  quota  of  four  berths  in  sleeper  class (including two lower berths) and four berths in 3AC/3E (including two lower  berths)  and  four  seats  in  reserved  second  sitting  (2S)/airconditioned Chair Car (CC) in all mail/express trains including Rajdhani/Shatabdi  type  trains  irrespective  of  the  fact  that  whether concession facilities is available or not to Persons with Disabilities.
- (iv) Allotment  of  lower  berths  falling  vacant  in  the  train  to  Senior Citizens,  Persons  with  Disabilities  or  pregnant  women  (who  have been allotted middle/upper berth) on priority.
- (d) to (f): Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project is the only sanctioned project of  High  Speed Rail  in  India  which  is  under  execution with technical and financial assistance from Government of Japan.

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