RBE No. 45/2020: Passes – Validity due to COVID-19

No.E(W)2020/PS5-2/7, dated 15.06.2020

Sub: Extension of validity of Passes/PTOs consequent to national lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

1.     The requests received from National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR), All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) and others for extending the normal validity period of Passes/PTOs consequent to the situation emerge due to national lock down and cancellation of passenger train services have been examined in detail in consultation with Commercial Dte. of Railway Board.

2.     Keeping in view the extraordinary circumstances, the Competent Authority has accorded his approval for extension of validity of Passes/PTOs, permitting issuance of year-ending Passes/PTOs, etc as per following guidelines:-

(i)    The validity of Privilege Passes (PP)/ PTOs, Post Retirement Complimentary Passes (PRCP) and Widow Passes (WP) shall be extended as indicated in the table below:-

Category	Validity to be extended upto
(I) PREVIOUS YEAR (2019) PASSES/PTOs ISSUED IN PREVIOUS YEAR
(a) Issued from 23rd Oct 2019 to 30th Nov, 2019	15th July, 2020
(b) Issued from 1st Dec 2019 to 30th Dec, 2019	15th Aug, 2020
(II) YEAR ENDING PASSES/PTOs OF 2019
(a) Already issued on/ after 31st Dec, 2019 OR	31st Aug, 2020
(b) To be issued with the notional date of 31st Dec, 2019
(III) Current year (2020) passes/PTOs
(a) Issued from 1st Jan 2020 to 31st Jan 2020	15th Sep, 2020
(b) Issued from 1st Feb 2020 to 29th Feb 2020	15th Oct, 2020
(c) Issued from 1st Mar 2020 to 31st Mar 2020	15th Nov, 2020

(ii) The Pass Issuing Authorities (PIA) shall make endorsement as “Validity Extended upto …………..” on the Passes/PTOs as per table under para 2(i) above. Even if ticket booking has been made on such Passes/PTOs for travel during the lockdown period, validity extension endorsement as stipulated shall be made, irrespective of ticket cancellation status.

(iii) The year ending PP/ PRCP/ WP/ PTOs of 2019, if due, may be issued till the last date of extended validity period i.e. 31^st Aug, 2020. However, such Passes/PTOs shall be issued with validity upto 31^st  Aug, 2020 only, irrespective of the date of issue.

(iv) The Railway Servants, who had retired during the lockdown period and could not draw PP/PTOs as per entertainment while in service, may be permitted to draw PPs/PTOs as admissible under Railway Servants (Pass) Rules, as a special dispensation. PP/PTOs in such cases may be issued, reckoning the date of retirement as notional date of issue of PP/PTO, stipulating extended validity on the lines of table under para 2(i) above.

(v) In the case of full set Passes/PTOs, whose validity expired but only half-set has been used for onward journey, the validity of such Passes/PTOs may be extended as per table under para 2(i) above by the nearest PIA where the beneficiary is stuck. The PIA will also make an additional endorsement on such Passes/PTOs as “valid for return journey only”.

(vi) (a) In the case of Duty Card Passes, whose validity expired and the pass holder is stuck in any other Station, a fresh Duty Cheque Pass with 15 days validity from the date of resumption of train services to his/her HQ may be issued by the nearest PIA with the same travel entitlement as stipulated in the expired Duty Card Pass.

(b) In the case of full set Duty Cheque Passes, whose validity expired but only half-set has been used for onward journey, the validity of such Duty Cheque Passes may also be extended by 15 days from the date of resumption of train services to his/her HQ by the nearest PIA with an additional endorsement as “valid for return journey only”.

(vii) The validity of Transfer Passes, Kit Passes, Settlement Passes, School Passes and Special Passes on medical grounds, etc. which have already been issued, may be extended on the lines of table under para 2(i) above by the PIAs, taking due note of associated conditions of such Passes and requirements in view.

(viii) The validity of Passes/PTOs, etc issued to the officials of Railway Audit Department and also the officials of other Departments serving Indian Railways on deputation, shall also be extended at par with that of Railway Servants as per table under para 2(i) above.

(ix) The validity of Complementary ‘Admin’ Cheque Passes admissible to non-railway servants viz. Staff of Commission of Railway Safety, Sahayaks (Licensed Porters), full time regular staff employed in quasi-railway Institutions/ Federations/ Recognized Unions/ DBF Units, etc. with validity period at par with Railway Servants, may also be extended on the lines of table under para 2(i) above.

3. The Zonal Railways & PUs may advise all the PIAs under their control to make necessary endorsement(s) on the Passes/PTOs accordingly. The PIAs may also be advised not to stipulate any specific date/ time limit on their own for receiving requests for endorsement, drawal of year-ending Passes/PTOs of 2019, etc and to entertain requests till the last day of extended validity period indicated in the table under para 2(i) above to avoid crowding and rush in Pass Sections.

4. Fresh Passes/PTOs to be issued henceforth against the current calendar year (i.e. 2020) account shall be for the normal validity period of five months only.

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

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No. 45/2020

Forward reference ⇒ RBE No. 114/2020