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Tricky Concessions In Indian Railways

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by jayasala42, Jul 27, 2019.

  1. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    • While booking Train tickets. For travelling in trains Senior citizens have been given concession as below:

      40% Concession in fare for Men over 60 years of age and

      50% Concession for Women over 58 years of age .

      The concession was given after much deliberations and discussions as a welfare measure towards senior citizens.

      Now while booking train tickets online through IRCTC,
      now a screen appears at the time of booking with two tricky option
      for the senior citizens to give up the concession so far availed.

      The screen comes with two option *OK* to give up the concession and *Cancel* to proceed booking with concession.

      YOU MAY THINK THAT
      *OK MEANS THAT YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE CONCESSION AND*
      *CANCEL MEANS TO FOREGO THE CONCESSION.*

      IN RAILWAY'S PARLANCE IT IS NOT SO. It should be YES or NO.

      So they indulge in such jugglery of words to confuse the senior citizens/passengers.

      *Always click CANCEL TO AVAIL THE CONCESSION.*
      Never click OK -
      As IRTC is now using technical words to lose your senior citizen benefits..... forever .
      Already the name identity is lost. I didn't want to lose the identity of 'senior citizen ' also for ever.I didn't want to take a chance.I walked upto Mambalam railway station and purchased the ticket over the counter.The hand written application is clearer and we can write'senior Citizens' concession therein.

    • The applicable concession was given on the cost of train ticket. To my dismay, I noticed a remark on the ticket : '' Are you aware that 43% of your fare is borne by the common citizens of the country?"

      This is like giving a gift and then kicking by shoe on the face of the senior citizens.
      I am a helpless senior citizen. I can only silently lament within myself.
      Will the govt give a bill to all those privileged persons who dine in the Parliament canteen with a bold print " Are you aware that the subsidy amount of your food is borne by the common citizens of the country"? Also will the government please write to all MPs and MLAs and other government officials, while giving them free passes for travelling by train and aeroplane that the traveling cost is borne by the common citizens of the country? Will the government consider writing the same to all the above privileged citizens to whom so many subsidies are given in their walk of life?


      So many thoughts ran over my mind. All governments are very keen to please and dole out disproportionate subsidies and facilities to the politicians of any hue, but never forget to remind common citizens and taxpayers of even small concessions granted.
    • However I want to justify whether my lamentation is correct. Next in the Q was a young girl getting A/ C ticket for herself from Chennai to Delhi.
    • I just requested the girl to hand over her ticket just for a check up.
    • I found that that '43% of fare is borne by common man' appears in non-concessionary OTHER TICKET also, at least in AC class tickets. The girl has paid full fare. Then also this legend appeared on her ticket. I am not aware of the position in other classes.
    • I got satisfied that Govt is not biassed towards senior citizens alone .At times, Indian Railway is non-discretionary!!!
    • ramasala
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 29, 2019
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  2. shalini79

    shalini79 Senior IL'ite

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    Is this concession something new?
    I remember, some 5-6 years ago when my DH booked train ticket for my mother he got the 50% concession.

    This
    '' Are you aware that 43% of your fare is borne by the common citizens of the country?"
    is seriously too much.
     
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  3. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    The concession is available for quite a long time. But I didn't read all the details in the ticket earlier.We were glad that we got so much of concession and didn't have inclination to read the details in the ticket. I do not actually know whether such remarks were in the ticket from the beginning.now that the remarks find a place even in non-concessional tickets,it creates an impression that we are living at the mercy of common man .
    ramasala
     
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  4. shalini79

    shalini79 Senior IL'ite

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    I think these remarks are new thing. They started putting this after the Subsidy Give Up Campaign by NDA-1 govt.
    And rightly said, wish they had lead by example.
     
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  5. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello:A letter of complaint addressed to leading Daily would do wonders and might turn beneficial to others - senior citizens. A complaint via net to railway board secretary would set right the tricky option forthwith would seem to be in order. But who will bell the cat?
    Thanks and Regards.
    God with His retinue :hello:likes to travel but not with Trichy concessions.
     
  6. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Smt. Jayasala:

    Indian Railways are running with profits nowadays where is the question of common citizens bearing the cost of the seniors? Frankly, if the railways are privatized, there is a possibility that corporations may run the trains on time, with decent fare, more facilities, introduce new routes in the process of maximizing their revenues and profitability. The current railway employees are not motivated to increase anything as their salaries remain stagnated when compared to private industries. Other than concessions in the railways, they don't enjoy any other perquisites.

    Even if concession is given to the seniors, Government should have the courtesy to give it gracefully without making them feel about using such as concession. The government still has so much of welfare measures in different parts of the country and there is no point in making the senior citizens feel bad about utilizing the railway fare concession.
     
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  7. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Thank you Thyagarajan Sir.Who is to complain and whom to complain? Now a days everything is risky. Safer zone is Indus ladies.
    ramasala
     
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  8. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear viswa,
    you have fully reflected my thoughts.Thank you.
    ramasala
     

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