Fact Check: Are senior citizen concessions back in Indian Railways? Viral post is a hoax
India Today
The viral claim that Indian railways will resume concessions on ticket pricing for senior citizens from July 1 is a hoax. No such decision has been announced by the Ministry of Railway.
Will the Indian Railways resume the concessions for senior citizens from July? A viral message on social media claims that from July 1, the Indian Railways will resume discounting tickets for senior citizens. Per the post the concessions will be 40 per cent for males above the age of 60 and 50 per cent for females above the age of 58.
This post and similar ones have been shared by many on Facebook.
AFWA found that the viral claim is a hoax. No such decision has been announced by the Indian Railways or the Ministry of Railways.
The viral posts have been archived here and here.
India Today went straight to the horse’s mouth and contacted Rajeev Jain, ADG Public Relations, Ministry of Railways. Jain categorically denied this viral post, calling it “fake news”. He said, “No such decision has been taken, there will be no change in concessions from July 1. Only the existing concessions will continue.”
On May 19, this year while speaking to reporters at IIT Madras, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the concession for senior citizens could not be resumed because the Railways was already operating at a subsidised rate.
“For every Rs. 100 spent towards operational expenses, the Railways collects only Rs. 45 from a passenger. We have to contribute to keeping the railways a sustainable mode of transport,” the minister emphasised.
