STARTING TUESDAY, AIDS patients will get 50 per cent concession on rail tickets to visit treatment centres across the country. But in effect, the muchawaited concession appears to provide little exemption due to its limited scope.
As per the modalities, those going for Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) at government recognised centres will have to produce proof of their ART treatment to avail of the part-waiver.
"Patients are to fill up a form available with ART centres that prove that he/she has received or is going to receive treatment. The concession is granted on the basis of that declaration," said a senior railway official.
The scope of the concession is significantly narrow as Rajdhanis, Shatabdis, Jan-Shatabdis and Garib Raths have been kept out of its purview.
Concession will be admissible only in the basic fares of second class (not in sleeper or any other class) of Mail/Express trains. "Other charges like reservation fee, surcharge and development charges etc will be recovered in full as per existing rules," the official said.
Source: HT, 01/04/2008
