Free Rail Travel Facility for Freedom Fighters Now Extended in Rajdhani/Shatabdi Trains Also

In a gesture of honour to the freedom fighters, the Ministry of Railways has decided that 1st Class/2nd AC Complimentary Card Passes issued to freedom fighters/their widows will also be valid for travel in 3rd AC of Rajdhhani trains and Chair Car of Shatabdi/Jan-Shatabdi express trains along with a companion in same class, in addition to the existing facility. Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Railways has been asked to make necessary notification in the software and notify the date of implementation of this scheme. The Ministry of Railways has issued instructions to all Zonal Railways to implement this decision by stamping the Complimentary Card Passes issued to Freedom Fighters/their widows, i.e. “Valid for travel in 3rd AC in Rajdhani trains and Chair Car in Shatabdi/Jan-Shatabdi trains along with a companion in same class”. The decision to permit freedom fighter to travel in Rajdhani/Shatabdi train was taken by the Ministry of Railways after consultations with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Earlier, the freedom fighters/their widows receiving pension from Central revenues under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme of Ministry of Home Affairs, are issued Complimentary Card Passes on life time basis for free rail travel on all Indian Railways (except Metro Railway, Kolkata) in 1st Class/2nd AC along with a companion in same class by any train other than Rajdhani/Shatabdi trains. With the new decision, the complimentary card passes will also be valid for travel in 3rd AC of Rajdhani & Chair Car of Shatabdi/Jan-Shatabdi express trains along with a companion in same class.