Validity Period of Privilege Passes, Post Retirement Complimentary Passes, Widow Passes, and PTOs: Updated Guidelines from 01.11.2024

Effective Date: 1st November 2024
Issued By: Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, Government of India
Reference No: 2024/E(W)/01/08/6
Date of Issue: 25th October 2024

Overview of Validity Period Changes for Railway Passes:

The Railway Board has issued a clarification regarding the validity period for Privilege Passes (PP), Post Retirement Complimentary Passes (PRCP), Widow Passes (WP), and Privilege Ticket Orders (PTOs), effective from 1st November 2024. This revision is a result of the reduction of the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) from 120 days to 60 days, as previously announced on 16th October 2024. The change impacts employees, retirees, and widows who rely on these passes for travel on Indian Railways.

The primary concern raised was how the reduction of ARP would affect the validity of these travel passes. The Railway Board has provided clear instructions on the new validity period for these passes, ensuring that pass holders are not negatively impacted by the change.

Key Guidelines for Pass Validity Period (Effective 01.11.2024):

1. Reduction of Advance Reservation Period (ARP)

   The Advance Reservation Period (ARP), which determines how far in advance passengers can book train tickets, has been reduced from 120 days to 60 days. This means that passengers can now book tickets only up to 60 days in advance rather than 120 days, effective from 16th October 2024.

2. New Validity Period for Privilege Passes (PP), Post Retirement Complimentary Passes (PRCP), Widow Passes (WP), and PTOs

   As per the guidelines outlined in the Railway Board’s letter No. E(W) 2007/PS 5-1/9 (RBE No. 41/2012) dated 26th March 2012 (Ref. ii), the validity period of Privilege Passes (PP), Post Retirement Complimentary Passes (PRCP), Widow Passes (WP), and Privilege Ticket Orders (PTOs) will be adjusted as follows:

   • The validity of these passes will be one month more than the ARP.
   • However, the minimum validity for these passes will not be less than 4 months.

   This means that the validity period of these passes will extend beyond the new ARP but will always remain at least 4 months, regardless of how short the ARP becomes.

Examples to Illustrate the Validity Period Changes:

Example 1: If ARP is 60 days

• ARP is now reduced to 60 days (as per the Railway Board’s latest circular).
• The validity period of a Privilege Pass (PP), Post Retirement Complimentary Pass (PRCP), Widow Pass (WP), or PTO would be 1 month more than the ARP, but it will not fall below 4 months. i.e., 60 days + 30 days = 90 days.
• The validity period of Privilege Passes (PP) and Post Retirement Complimentary Passes (PRCP) will be 60 days + 30 days = 90 days.
• However, as per the guidelines, the minimum validity will be 4 months (120 days), so the pass will remain valid for 120 days.

Example 2: If ARP is 120 days

• ARP is 120 days (as per the previous rule before 1st November 2024).
• The validity period of a Privilege Pass (PP), Post Retirement Complimentary Pass (PRCP), Widow Pass (WP), or PTO would be 1 month more than the ARP, i.e., 120 days + 30 days = 150 days.
• In this case, the pass will remain valid for 150 days from the date of issuance.

Example 3: If ARP is reduced further in future

• If the ARP is reduced again in the future (for instance, to 30 days), the validity period of passes would still be 1 month more than the ARP, but it will not fall below 4 months.
• In this case:
  • ARP = 30 days
  • Validity of Pass = 30 days + 30 days = 60 days
  • But since the minimum validity is 4 months (120 days), the pass will remain valid for 120 days.

Why These Changes Matter

The reduction in ARP from 120 days to 60 days was a significant change. However, the validity period of Privilege Passes (PP), Post Retirement Complimentary Passes (PRCP), Widow Passes (WP), and PTOs will still ensure that pass holders are not adversely affected. The 1-month extension rule ensures that despite the shorter ARP, passholders still have sufficient time to utilize their passes. Additionally, the minimum validity of 4 months guarantees that users have enough time to plan their travel.

This change ensures consistency and fairness, as employees, retirees, and widows will not lose out on the benefits they were entitled to, despite the ARP reduction.

Conclusion

From 1st November 2024, the validity period of Privilege Passes, Post Retirement Complimentary Passes, Widow Passes, and PTOs will be adjusted as per the new ARP guidelines, with the following rules:

• The validity period will be 1 month longer than the ARP.
• The minimum validity period will be at least 4 months.

For example, with the new ARP of 60 days, the validity of these passes will be 90 days (60 days + 30 days), But since the minimum validity is 4 months (120 days), the pass will remain valid for 120 days. If the ARP is reduced further in the future, the validity will still remain at least 4 months.

For more information and clarification, refer to the official Railway Board Circular No. 2024/E(W)/01/08/6 dated 25th October 2024.

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