Companion: RBE No.142/2000 – Inclusion in Widow Pass

No.E(W)96 PS5-8/2, dated 24.07.2000

Sub:   Provision of a Companion in the Pass for widows who are 65 years of age and above and inclusion of widowed mother of deceased Railway employees in Widow Pass.

1. As the Railways are aware, under Board’s letter of even number dated 05.01.1999 (RBE No.03/1999), senior citizen 1^st Class/ 1^st-A post-retirement complimentary pass holders have been allowed the option of either to carry an ‘Attendant’ in sleeper class/ 2^nd class while they themselves are travelling in 1^st Class/ AC-2 tier on the authority of 1^st/ 1^st-A post retirement complimentary passes or to carry a ‘companion’ in sleeper class/ 2^nd class in lieu of an attendant if they themselves travel in sleeper class/ 2^nd class. Queries have been raised whether this option would be admissible to widows above the age of 65 years holding 1^st class/ 1^st-A Widow Pass.

2.     Railways are also aware that dependent widow mother of a retired Railway employee has been allowed to be included in his/her post-retirement complimentary passes as a family member vide Board’s letter No.E(W)95 PS5-1/6, dated 16.02.1996 (RBE No.13/1996). On this analogy, requests have been received from certain widows for inclusion of their mothers-in-law in the Widow Passes.

3.     The above two issues have been considered carefully by the Board and it has been decided that dependent widow mother of the deceased Railway employee may be allowed to be included in the widow pass as a family member of the widow. It has also been decided that the 1^st Class/ 1^st-A Widow Pass holders may be allowed the facility to carry a Companion instead of an Attendant, subject to the following conditions:-

(i) The facility of a Companion will be provided only on the 1^st class/ 1^st -A Widow Passes in which there is already a provision to carry an Attendant as per the Railway Servants (Pass) Rules, 1986.

(ii) The facility of a Companion will be allowed only to Widow Pass holders who are above the age of 65 years.

(ii) The facility of Companion in lieu of Attendant will be permitted only when the pass holder and/or eligible members of family above the age of 65 years will be travelling along with the Companion in Sleeper/ 2nd class. In other words, if any other eligible member of the family below the age of 65 years is included in the pass, then the facility of travel in Sleeper/ 2^nd Class with a Companion will not be permitted.

Accordingly, Senior Citizen 1^st Class/ 1^st-A Widow Pass holders will have the option either to carry an “Attendant” in Sleeper/ 2^nd Class while they themselves are travelling in 1^st Class/ AC 2-tier or to carry a “Companion” in Sleeper/ 2^nd Class in lieu of an “Attendant” if the pass holders themselves travel in Sleeper/ 2^nd class. In case a ‘Companion’ is preferred to an ‘Attendant’, the pass issuing authorities shall obtain a specific request for the same from the widow pass holder and mention the ages of the persons not less than 65 years to be included in the pass and the following endorsement shall be made on the pass:-

“Companion in lieu of Attendant permitted when the Pass holder travels in Sleeper Class/ 2nd Class.”

4.     The Railway Servants (Pass) Rules, 1986 may accordingly be amended as per Advance Correction Slip No.26 enclosed.

5.     This issues with the concurrence of the Finance Directorate of the Ministry of Railways.

This disposes off S.C. Railway’s letter No.P(FP)473/XI, dated 31.12.1999.

The Railway Servants (Pass) Rules 1986

(2nd Edition, 1993)

Advance Correction Slip No.26

I.     Replace item (ii) (a) under Column No.3 of Schedule-V (Widow Pass) with the following:-

(ii) (a) dependent relatives are not entitled to be included in such passes. However, dependent widow mother of the deceased Railway employee may be included in the Widow Pass as a family member of the widow.

II.    Add the following under Column (3) below item (b) in Schedule V (Widow Pass):-

(c) “Senior Citizen 1^st / 1^st-A Widow Pass holders can carry a Companion in lieu of an Attendant subject to the following conditions:-

(i) The facility of a Companion will be provided only on the 1^st Class/ 1^st-A Widow Passes in which there is already a provision to carry an Attendant as per the Railway Servants (Pass) Rules, 1986.

(ii) The facility of a Companion will be allowed only to Widow Pass holders who are above the age of 65 years.

(iii) The facility of Companion in lieu of Attendant will be permitted only when the pass holder and/or eligible members of family above the age of 65 years will be travelling along with the Companion in Sleeper/ 2^nd  Class. In other words, if any other eligible member of the family below the age of 65 years is included in the pass, then the facility of travel in Sleeper/ 2^nd Class with a Companion will not be permitted.

Accordingly, Senior Citizen 1^st Class/ 1^st-A Widow Pass holders will have the option either to carry an “Attendant” in Sleeper/ 2^nd Class while they themselves are travelling in 1^st Class/ AC 2-tier or to carry a “Companion” in Sleeper/ 2^nd Class in lieu of an “Attendant” if the pass holders themselves travel in Sleeper/ 2^nd Class. In case a Companion is preferred to an attendant, the pass issuing authorities shall obtain a specific request for the same from the Widow Pass holder and mention the ages of the persons not less than 65 years to be included in the pass and the following endorsement shall be made on the pass:

“Companion in lieu of Attendant permitted when the Pass Holder travels in Sleeper Class/ 2^nd Class.”

[Authority: Board’s letter No.E(W)96 PS5-8/2, dated 24.07.2000]

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.142/2000

Forward reference ⇒ RBE No.