Restore provision for train fare concessions to accredited journalists: Press Association

The Press Association on Saturday welcomed the Centre’s decision to restore passenger train services to pre-Covid levels and demanded that the provision for giving train fare concessions to the accredited media persons should also be stored.

The Railways on Friday issued an order to discontinue the 'special' tag for mail and express trains and revert to pre-pandemic ticket prices with immediate effect.

In a letter to the zonal railways, the Railway Board said trains will now be operated with their regular numbers and fares will revert to normal pre-Covid prices.

''The Press Association welcomes the decision of the government of India for restoring the operations of all mail and express trains to their earlier schedule and reverts to pre-pandemic ticket prices with immediate effect,'' the journalists’ body said in a statement.

''Press Association also reiterates its long-pending demand to restore concessions to the accredited media persons as existed during the pre-Covid-19 period,'' it added.

It said the Press Council of India, a quasi judicial body set up under the Act of Parliament, has already written to the Ministry of Railways for restoration of the train fare concessions granted to the accredited journalists.

''Concessions (in train fares), withdrawn during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, were used to be given to the accredited media persons for travel required to perform their professional duty, barring once in a year for personal visit,'' the association added.