Indian Railways' concession rules for patients and senior citizens
What's the story
The Indian Railways offers concessions on tickets for people belonging to certain specified categories. The concession rates vary between 10% and 100%, and the list of categories include differently-abled passengers, senior citizens, awardees, war widows, students, youth, farmers, and sports-persons, among others. Here's an insight into concession rules concerning senior citizens and patients.
Patient rules 1
Concessions for the handicapped, blind, and mentally challenged individuals
Orthopaedically handicapped or paraplegic persons, blind individuals, and mentally challenged ones, irrespective of the purpose of travel, are given 75% concession for travel in second class, sleeper, first class, third AC, AC chair car. The concession gets reduced to 50% for travel in 1AC and 2AC classes, and further to 25% for travel in 3AC and AC Chair Car of Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains.
Patient rules 2
Concession rules for the deaf and dumb, and cancer patients
Furthermore, a deaf and dumb person traveling alone or with an escort, is offered 50% concession in 2nd class, sleeper and 1st class. Cancer patients traveling for treatment or periodic check-ups are given a 75% discount for travel in 2nd class, 1st class, AC chair car; 100% for SL, and 3AC, and 50% for travel in 1AC and 2AC classes.
Patient rules 3
Rules for patients of Thalassemia, heart disease, and kidney problems
Thalassemia patients traveling for treatment or periodic check-ups, heart patients traveling for surgery, and kidney patients traveling for kidney transplant operation or dialysis (all with or without an escort) can avail 75% concession in second class, SL, 1st class, 3AC, and AC chair car. For travel in 1AC and 2AC classes, the concession available for such individuals is 50%.
Senior citizens
Rules for availing Railways concessions for senior citizens
The Indian railways offers 40% concession in all classes, for all men aged 60 years and above. Similarly, there's a provision of 50% concession for women aged 58 years or above, in all classes. These discounts are valid irrespective of the purpose of travel. In addition, the concessions are also applicable in luxury trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto.