Govt gives cancer patients berths to VIPs

The Govt said it has put a cap on the number of berths alloted to cancer patients under emergency quota to accommodate VIPs.

The Government on Thursday said it has put a cap on the number of berths alloted to cancer patients under emergency quota to accommodate VIPs after receiving instances that the quota was being entirely used by the patients.

“The limit was imposed after receiving references from zonal railways where they were unable to accommodate VIPs on self travel when the entire quota was being utilised by the cancer patients,” Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa informed the Lok Sabha.

In a written reply,he said such instances came especially during the rush season leaving Railways with no emergency quota.

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Railways provide 100 per cent concession to cancer patients in sleeper and 3-AC classes. In 2-AC and 1-AC they enjoy 50 per cent concession. A matching concession is also extended to their escorts.

Muniyappa said instances of cancer patients utilising all quota have been reported mostly in trains bound for Mumbai.

On April 17 and May 6,he said,all the 10 emergency berths in 3-AC in Lokmanya Tilak-Chhaptra Godaan Express were utilised by the cancer patients while all the 24 emergency berths in Howrah-bound Gitanjali express were utilised on April 9,22,23,24,28.

Instances of quotas being entirely utilised by cancer patients have also been reported in trains linking Mumbai to Guwahati and Hatia.

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The Minister said separate quota for cancer patients is also available in some trains.

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