Lok Sabha Question No. 3765 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Number of Senior Citizens Travelling by Train
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ms Sayani Ghosh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3765 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2024

## NUMBER OF SENIOR CITIZENS TRAVELLING BY TRAIN

3765.  MS SAYANI GHOSH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  proportion  of  senior  citizen  passengers  out  of  total  passengers travelling by train in the country;
- (b)  the  facilities  and  concessions  currently  available  to  senior  citizen passengers during train travel;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to provide amenities like wheelchair and ramps at railway stations for ease of travel; and
- (d) whether there is a dedicated fund or focus on the same, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (d)  During  the  financial  year  2024-25  (upto  November,  2024), approximately  488  crore  passengers  of  all  ages  (including  senior citizens) travelled both in reserved and unreserved classes.

Indian  Railways  continuously  strive  to  provide  various  facilities for the convenience of passengers including senior citizens. Some of the facilities extended to senior citizens are as under:-

- (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 unreserved accommodation for senior citizens in the local train services on suburban sections of Zonal Railways.
- (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.
- (v) Earmarking  of  separate  counters  at  various  Passenger Reservation  System  (PRS)  centres  of  Indian  Railways, keeping in view the demand pattern.
- (vi) Provision of wheel chairs at stations.
- (vii) Provision  of  Battery  Operated  Vehicles  (BOVs)  at  some stations for Senior Citizens, Persons  with  Disabilities (Divyangjans), sick passengers and pregnant women.
- (viii) Provision of ramps, lifts, escalators, signages, May I Help Booths, etc. at various stations.

Apart from above, Indian Railways continuously envisages improvement  of  amenities  for  passengers  with reduced  mobility through provision of ramps, accessible parking, lifts, escalators among others.

The  provision/upgradation  of  various  passenger  amenities  at stations including the amenities for senior citizens is a continuous and ongoing process. Works in this regard are undertaken as per requirement  and  availability  of  funds  under  Plan  Head-53  which includes passenger amenities works. A total allocation of ₹15,510.75 crore has been made under Plan Head-53 for the current financial year.

Indian  Railways  strives  to  provide  affordable  services  to  all strata of the society and gave subsidy of ₹56,993 crore on passenger tickets in 2022-23. 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.

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