Concession gone, however auto-upgradation of rail tickets might not have resumed for senior residents

By Express News Service

CHENNAI:  A piece of rail passengers complained that auto upgradation of tickets is but to be resumed for senior residents though the latter had been charged full ticket fare for the previous few months. However, the railways maintained that when the passengers haven’t availed of the concession, their tickets will get queued within the upgradation listing routinely.

Under the senior citizen quota, males aged 60 years and above and ladies aged 58 years and above are eligible for 40 and 50 per cent concessions in ticket fares respectively. The concession, which was accessible in all specific and premier trains, was withdrawn in COVID particular trains in 2020 and 2021 and later prolonged to common trains.

Elderly passengers have been excluded from the auto-upgradation scheme, underneath which tickets of wait-listed passengers will likely be upgraded by one class with none further fare in opposition to vacancies. The upgradation is finished by Passenger Reservation System (PRS) throughout the preparation of the primary chart routinely from sleeper to 3AC, 3AC to 2AC and 2AC to 1AC.

The desire was given to wait-listed passengers underneath the tatkal quota adopted by the final class who do not avail of any concession in ticket fare. The scheme is relevant just for these passengers who’ve chosen ‘auto-upgradation’ on the time of reserving.

S Radhakrishnan (64), a daily commuter from Dindigul stated, “In the third week of June, my sleeper class wait-listed ticket 2 booked on Chennai-Palakkad express was confirmed, but not upgraded. However, 3rd and 4th wait-listed tickets got upgraded. I wonder if senior citizens’ tickets were still kept out of auto upgradation.”

The same subject was confronted by different passengers in Sengottai specific two weeks in the past. “I won’t prefer giving up my lower berth in sleeper class for an upper berth in 3rd AC. However, passengers who are behind in the waiting list are getting upgraded. The railways should look into it,” stated 63-year-old Ok Sambath.

A railway official stated, “When there was no concession category concerning age, tickets of senior citizens will not get skipped in auto upgradation. If there is any specific complaint, we will look into it.”