Extending the validity of full/half sets of Privilege Passes, Post Retirement Complimentary Passes, Widow Passes and Privilege Ticket Orders (PTOs)

GOVERNMENT  OF INDIA

MINISTRY  OF RAILWAYS

RAILWAY  BOARD

New Delhi, dated  31-03-2015

Standing   instructions  were  issued  vide  Board’s   letter  cited  under reference that  the  validity   period  of full/half  sets  of Privilege/Post    Retirement/Complimentary/ Widow  Passes  and  PTOs  shall  be  one  month more than  the  Advance Reservation Period  (ARP),  in general,    from the date of issue.    It further  stipulated  that if advance reservation   period is reduced  in future, the validity of Passes/PTOs  will not be less than four  months period.  Advance   Correction  Slip  No.73  to the Railway  Servants  (Pass) Rules,   1986  (2nd  Edition,  1993) was also issued.     Based  on the  advance  reservation period of 20 days which  then came into effect in terms of Board’s Commercial Circular No.12 of 2012,  the  validity  period  of  Passes/PTOs was  advised  to be increased to 5 months from 4 months.   It was also stated therein that enhancing  the validity period of passes and PTOs was to facilitate securing confirmed  reservations  on such Passes and PTOs.

2.                While  the ARP was  reduced  in  2013, the  Railways  have reduced the validity of Passes/PTOs  to 4 months,  in pursuance  of above  standing  instructions.   However, consequent   to   revision   of  ARP  from   60 days   to   120  days   in terms  of  Board’s Commercial  Circular  No.11 of 2015 dated 27.02.2015,  clarifications  are being sought by some Railways  on the date from which the validity of Passes/PTOs  are to be increased to 5 months and  also  regarding  the  period  of validity  of year  ending  Passes/PTOs of calendar year 2014.

3.            It is clarified  that  keeping  the  spirit  of the  instructions  contained  in Board’s letter cited under reference, Passes/PTOs  should be issued one month before the ARP comes into effect so that confirmed  reservation on such Passes/PTOs  is facilitated. The Railways/PUs   should,  therefore,   issue  Passes/PTOs  with  revised  validity period,   as soon as effective  date of ARP  is advised by Traffic Commercial  Dte.  of Railway Board.

4.              Regarding   the  validity   period of year-ending    Passes/PTOs,    it is clarified  that the same shall  be as per the validity period admissible  on  31st December of respective calendar year  since  year-ending   Passes/PTOs  are deemed  to have been issued  latest by that day.   Accordingly,  for the calendar year 2014, the validity period of Passes/PTOs shall be 4 months from 31.12.2014.

(Debasis Mazumdar)

Director Estt.(Welfare)

Railway  Board