Railway Pass Rules and LTC for Employees

Railway Pass Rules & Leave Travel Concession

• Railway Pass Rules and Leave Travel Concession facilities are provided to railway employees.
• Key aspects: family inclusion, dependents, attendants, companions, pass types, and general rules.

Purpose of Railway Pass Rules

• Facilitate rail travel for railway employees and their families during off-duty times and other occasions.
• Employees and their families can travel for free or at concessionary rates
• Considered a non-cash benefit.
• Stipulate eligibility for travel, timing, and class.
• Usable for personal leave and official duties.

Governing Rule

• Railway Servants Pass Rules, 1986 govern pass issuance.
• Updated in 1990.
• Applies to all railway employees, with exceptions.
• Exceptions:
  • Apprentices hired under the Apprentice Act 1961.
  • Casual laborers or daily wage workers.
  • Individuals under the Railway Ministry's administrative control, excluded by special order.

Definition of Family for Pass Rules

• Includes:
  • Legally married spouse.
  • Dependent son under 21 years of age.
  • Son over 21 if studying in a recognized educational institution.
  • Unmarried daughter (any age, employed or unemployed).
  • Widowed or divorced daughter (if dependent).
  • Disabled son (any age).
  • Legally adopted child.

Dependent Relatives

• A family member is only considered a dependent if:
  • The employee's father is deceased AND
  • Their income is less than 15% of the employee's monthly emoluments OR ₹9,000 + Dearness Allowance (DA), whichever is higher.
  • The income limit fluctuates with DA rates.
• Included relatives:
  • Widowed or divorced mother.
  • Unmarried or widowed sister.
  • Dependent brother living with the employee.
  • Stepbrother or disabled brother under 21 (any age if disabled).
  • Brother studying at a recognized institution.
  • Legally divorced sister dependent on the employee

Attendants

• Someone in an employee's personal service, paid or unpaid is considered an attendant.
• First Class A and First Class pass holders can take an attendant in Second Class or Sleeper Class by paying reservation charges.
• A separate Second Class ticket can be issued for the attendant if the employee travels in Rajdhani or Shatabdi.

Companions

• Retired First Class A and First Class pass holders over 65 can take a companion if traveling in Second Class/Sleeper Class.
• The companion can be a family member.

Types of Passes

• Duty Passes
• Privilege Passes

Duty Passes

• Metal Pass
• Card Pass
• Check Pass
• Other Duty Passes
• Metal Passes:
  • Gold Pass
  • Silver Pass
  • Bronze Pass

Gold Pass

• Issued to Level 16 and Level 17 officers, such as CEOs, Railway Board Members, Finance Commissioners, Commissioners of Railway Safety (CRS), and General Managers.
• Valid for official travel on all Indian Railways.
• Four family members can travel on duty: two in AC First Class and two in other classes.

Silver Pass

• Issued to Level 14 and Level 15 officers like Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) and Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) officers.
• Valid throughout Indian Railways.
• Allows four family members, one in AC First Class, and others in other classes.

Bronze Pass

• Issued to Junior Administrative Grade (JAG) and Selection Grade officers (Level 11 up to Level 13), and Group A and B officers.
• Issued for travel outside headquarters on duty.
• Valid for Zonal Railways with a family of up to 4 members in AC 2nd class.

Duty Card Pass

• Issued to employees who frequently travel away from their workplace.
• Issued based on the employee's entitlement category.
• Valid for specified sections, divisions, zonal railways, or all Indian Railways per administrative needs.
• Requires Head of Department approval.
• Valid for one year and renewable.
• Allows travel on any train at any time.

Check Duty Pass

• Issued to railway employees required to travel out of headquarters.
• For administrative tasks.
• Issued based on eligibility/seperate pass made for specific time

Other Duty Passes

• Engine and brake van passes are issued by a competent departmental authority for engine inspection and footplate inspection.
• "Wire pass" is issued via telegram book when pass books are unavailable at stations, containing details of issuing officer, date, station seal, etc.
• "Local passes" exist for gangmen to travel on duty.

Privilege Passes

• Issued to employees and their families for personal travel, including:
  • Free privilege passes.
  • Privilege Ticket Orders (PTO) (concessionary tickets).
• Entitlement is based on salary level/pay grade/recruitment.
• Eligibility and the number of passes depend on pay scale:
  • All group A and B officers receive 1st class A passes (white passes).
  • Group C employees with grade pay 4200-5400 (level 6-9) receive 1st class passes (green passes).
  • Grade pay 2800, pay level 5 employees receive 2nd class A passes (yellow pass).
  • All group D employees grade pay 1800-2400 receive 2nd class passes (pink pass).
• Validity of passes and PTOs depends on the advance reservation period, generally 5 months.
• Separate PTOs are issued for outward and return journeys.

Pass and PTO Entitlements

• Gazette officers with pay level 17 and 16, are entitled to First class A pass, 6 pass sets and 4 PTO sets per year
• HG & SAG officers with pay level 15 and 14, are entitled to First class A pass, 6 pass sets and 4 PTO sets per year
• Selection grade & JAG level officers with pay level 13,12 and 11, are entitled to First class A pass, 6 pass sets and 4 PTO sets per year
• Other group A & B gazette officeers with pay level 10,9 and 8, are entitled to First class A pass, 6 pass sets and 4 PTO sets per year
• Non gazette cadre who are level 6 and above, are entitled to First class pass, with 1 pass set until 5 years of service, and 3 sets after, and 4 PTO sets.
• Level 5 employees get second class A pass, with 1 pass set until 5 years of service, and 3 sets after, and 4 PTO sets.
• Level 1 to 4 employees get second sleeper class, with 1 pass set until 5 years of service, and 3 sets after, and 4 PTO sets.

Miscellaneous and Special Passes

• Post Retirement Complimentary Passes (PRCP)
• Widow Passes
• Residential Card Passes
• School Passes
• Medical Passes
• Sports Passes
• Union Passes
• Special Passes

PRCP (Post Retirement Complimentary Passes)

• Given based on length of service upon retirement:
• Gazetted Officers: 3 sets (more than 20 years of service).
• Non-Gazetted Group C: 2 sets (more than 20 years of service).
• Group D: 2 sets (more than 20 years of service).

Widow Pass

• Provided to the widow/widower of an employee in service on or after March 12, 1987.
• The number of passes is half the PRCP entitlement (e.g., 1.5 sets instead of 3), and includes widows of employees that passed away before the specified date and who did not surrender the two sets of PTOs.
• The widow can choose the widow pass or the dependent pass facility available to the dependent widowed mother of her son or daughter based on income limit.

Residential Card Pass

• Issued to employees whose workplace is far from their residence, requiring daily train travel.
• The pass class matches the employee's privilege or school pass.

School Check Pass

• Issued when an employee's children need to attend schools/colleges away from the employee's work location.
• Issued for travel between the institution and the employee's headquarters when the institution has a break of three days or more.
• School check passes allow children to have three single trips per semester.
• Parents or guardians can use the same pass to drop off or pick up children under 18.

School Card Pass

• Issued when children are going to an education center below 100km.

Medical Pass

• Issued to employees and their family members for travel to railway medical hospitals when medical facilities are unavailable at the employee's work location.
• The pass class is the same as the employee's privilege pass entitlement.

Sports Pass

• Issued to railway employees and their family members to participate in sports, cultural programs, music, drama programs, or competitions.

Union Passes

• Provided to executive members of recognized unions to attend union meetings.

Special Passes

• Issued for various activities, events, and occasions; consult the material for specifics.