Pass General Rules – Provision is made to provide free or concessional facilities for railway employees and their family members to travel by trains for reasons of convenience, duty purposes, or other special occasions. This is known as the Railway Service Pass Rules.

Under this, the following general provisions apply –

1. Generally, all railway employees are provided with a facility pass directly.
2. The distance for travel through any other route should not exceed 15 percent.
3. It is not considered necessary to have a difference of 15 percent for travel by long-distance and high-speed running trains.
4. Railway employee can request for optional travel break during the journey up to any limit. Additionally, due to extraordinary circumstances, authorized station masters and ticket collectors are also empowered to grant permission for travel break by endorsing the pass.
5. In the matter of issuing facility passes, if a dependent is included in the pass, there cannot be more than five family members. However, if the dependent is not included, the number of family members can exceed five. A maximum of two dependents can be included in the pass.
6. Any kind of transfer of passes is prohibited, and disciplinary action is taken for it.
7. Under the AMC scheme, the employee is provided with financial upgradation (grade), but higher position status is not granted. For example, Group ‘D’ does not get upgraded to Group ‘C’, and Group ‘C’ does not get upgraded to Group ‘B’. Therefore, in pass cases, it is conceivable to have a first-class pass within the financial limit, but other benefits like an increase in the number of passes, etc., are not provided.
8. Pass-P.T.O. is now written in the column of the railway’s calendar for both Indian Railways and Konkan Railway. It is not necessary to write the name of each railway.
9. When a first-class pass holder reserves a seat for an attendant, the reservation charge is applied.
10. If an employee has utilized the employee calendar for all the months of the year, then for reservation purposes, a seat pass/P.T.O. for the next year can be issued 60 days in advance from the account. However, the journey can be made only on or after January 1. This facility is also provided to retired employees.
11. The current year’s passes/P.T.O.s for the upcoming year can be issued up to May 30, successively. Availability date can only be May 30.
12. For sons or other dependents who are above 21 years of age, they must submit the school certificate at the beginning of the academic session in the year. However, if there is a disruption in studies, the immediate issuing authority should be informed. The administration may demand the relevant certificate in the case of continuous studies.

Note:   In cases where the son or other dependent is 21 years or older and not a student, the pass will be issued for the minimum period only .

(1) The railway employee should be issued a pass for the period in which the son or other dependent is completing  21 years of age, or

(2) The railway employee should be issued a pass for the full four-month period without including the son.

13. When a railwayservant himself or a member of his family or dependent is blind in both eyes and is traveling alone on a facility pass, he will be allowed to travel with an escort in the same class in which the blind person is traveling. This facility will be provided on the basis of a certificate issued by the Divisional Medical Officer of the respective railway. If the railway servant is on T.A. duty or for any other reason, not available to apply for passes/P.T.Os., family members / dependent pass/P.T.Os. can apply for issuance and it can be issued on their request.

14.The pass holder who is eligible for it can travel in a higher category by paying the difference in rent between the pass category and the higher class. Only first-class ‘A’ pass and PTO holders, who can travel in the air-conditioned first class by paying 4/3 of the rent difference between the air-conditioned first class and air-conditioned sleeper. When the pass is upgraded to a higher category, the baggage free allowance will be as per the ticket holder of the higher class or the facility pass holder, whichever is higher. The right to keep a porter with him will be governed by the pass category held by the railway servant, as determined by the traveling railway servant.

15. An unmarried daughter, even if she is earning, can be included in the pass of her parents who are both railway employees. However, if the daughter is also a railway employee, then after reducing her entitlement from her own pass, she can be included in the pass of an unmarried earning daughter, who is not a railway employee, as per the wishes of her parents.

16. If both the husband and wife are railway employees and are entitled to passes and PTOS under the prescribed rules, they will be eligible to avail a specified number of passes/PTOS with full sets, and they can accompany each other in their passes/PTOS. Children can also be included in the pass/PTO issued on the mother and father’s accounts.

17. When an employee has availed all the due passes/PTOS in a calendar year, an extra pass or PTO can be issued to start travel in the next year, and the passes/PTOS issued will be reduced from the employee’s account for the next year. Such passes/PTOS will not be issued more than one hundred days before the commencement of the next year. These passes/PTOS will remain valid for a period not exceeding five months.

18. When neither the parents, nor adult family members, nor adult dependent relatives are traveling with the unaccompanied minor children of railway employees, a nurse or another person may be included in the pass. Unaccompanied minor children may include sons/stepsons/adopted sons or dependent brothers under the age of 15, and daughters/adopted daughters or dependent sisters under the age of 18.

19. Physically disabled Group-G and Group-H railway employees, who are entitled to Second Class Pass under the wage limit, will be eligible for passes in the higher category but not higher than the First Class. They will also be eligible to include an attendant in the same category. The number of this pass will be one set per year, even if the employee is entitled to three sets per year. If the entitlement to the pass is less than three passes but not less than one set pass, permission may be granted for the first set of First Class pass with the attendant.

20. More than one legally married wives of railway employees can be issued passes/PTOS, provided that separate passes/PTOS will be issued and counted from the account of the railway employee. Married daughters can also be included in the pass/PTO when their husband has been missing for at least 7 years, along with a sworn affidavit showing the magistrate’s certified oath of absence.

21. When an employee is unable to travel with his family or dependents, he will be entitled to a pass for either outward or return journey for himself or for both. However, the pass issuing authority must be satisfied with evidence that the employee is unable to travel with his family or dependents.

22. Employees who are on leave/retirement can be issued passes/PTOS for the prescribed availability period under the Pass/PTO rules, even if the retirement date is after the advance of retirement date. It is a condition that the number of total passes due to the employee during service and after retirement should not exceed what the employee was entitled to during service.

23. A legally separated wife can also be issued a pass on the request of the employee.

24. Voluntary retirement/retirement on medical grounds will be considered eligible for concessional service after five years or the remaining service, whichever is less.

Duty Pass

• Gold Pass – This pass is granted by the Railway Board to the Chairman, Members of the Railway Board, General Managers, and officers holding independent charge of divisions to travel on all Indian Railways with four family members in First ‘AC’ class for two and the remaining two in any other class for duty.
• Silver Pass – This pass is granted by the Railway Board to all officers with Senior Administrative Grade to travel on duty on all Indian Railways with a total of four family members. It allows one member in First ‘AC’ class and the rest in other classes.
• Bronze Pass – Divisional Heads grant this pass to officers in Junior Administrative Grade and Group ‘B’ officers of the lower cadre for travel in the Second Class Air-Conditioned category on their respective railways with a total of four family members.
• Duty Card Pass – Employees who are required to be on duty outside the workplace for an extended period during the calendar month are provided with a Duty Card Pass according to their eligibility category. These Duty Card Passes are issued by the Divisional Head with the approval of the Departmental Head, keeping in view the administrative requirements of specified sections, zones or regional railways. The renewal of these Duty Card Passes is done after one year from the date of issue.
• Check Duty Pass – Railway employees who are required to occasionally travel outside the headquarters for administrative reasons are provided with a Check Duty Pass separately for a specified period and according to the eligibility category.
• Other Duty Passes – Railway officers are provided with Engine and Brake Van passes separately by competent departmental officers for special reasons such as engine inspection, footplate inspection, etc.
• When passes are not available at certain stations and any employee needs to be sent on outstation duty due to unforeseen administrative reasons, he/she is given authority on the Government Rules/Telegram Book known as “Wire Pass”. The officer issuing such passes provides details like signature, date, station seal, and order number.
• In suburban sections (suburban sections), Gangmen are provided with Bucckle Passes to travel on duty by any local train, which they carry on their shoulders.

Privilege Pass

            There are two types of passes available in Privilege Pass section

1. Privilege Pass
2. PTO

1. The eligibility category of the passes has been determined based on their salary or wages, considering the date of employee’s appointment as the primary basis. Railway employees and their family members are provided with the facility of travel in two ways:
   • Free Facility Pass and P.T.O will be valid for the following periods:
     • Full Set of Free Facility Pass – Up to 5 months from the date of issue.
     • Half Set of Free Facility Pass – Up to 5 months from the date of issue.
     • Concessional Ticket Orders (P.T.O) – Up to 5 months (for external and return travel) and tickets can be issued from any station in Indian Railways.

Definition of Family:

• Employee’s Wife/Husband – Whether employed or not.
• Son, who is under 21 years of age and is entirely dependent on the employee.
• Son, above 21 years of age, who is studying in a recognized educational institution.
• Unmarried Daughter, whether employed or not.
• Widowed Daughter, if dependent on the employee.
• Divorced Daughter, if dependent on the employee.

Definition of Dependent:

• Any person shall be considered dependent only if his father is not alive and his monthly earnings or wage & D.A. combined are less than 15% of the employee’s monthly earnings. This limit may change with revisions in D.A. rates.

The following can be considered as dependents:

• Mother, including divorced mother.
• Unmarried or widowed sister.
• Brother or step-brother, below 21 years of age and dependent while residing with the employee.
• Any physically or mentally challenged brother.
• Brother studying in a recognized educational institution.
• Sister who has obtained legal divorce and is dependent while residing with the employee.

            Definition of Companion:

• Any person who is in the private service of the employee, whether paid or not, is considered a companion. Such companion can accompany the employee during travel in the Second Class Sleeper provided the employee himself travels in First Class ‘A’ or First Class. If the employee travels in Rajdhani or Shatabdi trains, a separate pass for the companion can also be issued for a different train.

Companion:

• Railway employees aged 65 or above, holding First Class ‘A’/First Class passes, can be granted permission to take a companion, provided the employee himself travels with the companion in Second Class Sleeper.

 

Special Other Passes

Honorary Passes:

• Retired railway employees are provided Honorary Passes based on the following calculation on the basis of continuous service in the railway:
  • Details Number of Passes per Calendar Year
  • Gazetted Officers with over 20 years but up to 25 years of service 2 Sets
  • On completion of over 25 years of service 3 Sets

Non-Gazetted Group ‘C’ Employee Category:

• With over 20 years but up to 25 years of service 1 Set
• On completion of over 25 years of service 2 Sets

Non-Gazetted Group ‘D’ Employee Category:

• On completion of over 20 years of service 1 Set

Widow Pass

1. Retired railway employees are provided with honorary passes. In case of their demise after retirement, during each calendar year, half of the honorary passes issued are given to their widows/widowers.
2. After the date of 13.4.1987, the plan of reducing two sets of P.T.Os for widows/widowers was implemented. Accordingly, all railway employees are now provided with 4 sets of P.T.Os each year instead of 6 sets.
3. This facility will also be available to those widows/widowers who were in service before 12.3.1987, but they will have to make a lump sum payment of 250/- against the fictitious value of two sets of P.T.Os. This payment can be deposited by cash or through D.D. in favor of V.S. & M.L.A.
4. For widows/widowers of employees who had passed away before the implementation of this scheme, provision is made for granting widow/widower passes upon depositing 250/- Rs. in the Railway revenue and presenting the death certificate of the deceased employee, along with the P.P.O. and other necessary documents.
5. Residential Card Pass
   • This pass is provided to those employees who reside away from their duty station. It allows them to travel between their residence and workplace where this facility was previously introduced. Eligibility for the first-class card pass remains the same as for the facility pass and school card pass.
6. School Card Pass
   • Railway employees whose duty stations do not have an appropriate or satisfactory school or college, must send their children to study in another place. To facilitate this, the Railway provides passes for travel within 40 kilometers of the employee’s residence and the station. Certain eligibility conditions apply.
7. Medical Pass
   • For railway employees whose railway station workplace does not provide medical assistance, the Railway provides medical passes for them and their family members to avail medical facilities at nearby railway hospitals. Railway medical officers may also send these ailing employees or their dependent family members for specialized medical treatment to other major medical centers, and, therefore, they may be provided with free medical passes according to the eligibility category.
8. Sports Pass

• Railway employees and their family members are provided with free sports passes to participate in sports, entertainment, and cultural music and drama competitions.

       9. Special Pass for Union Officials

• In order to encourage the welfare activities of the Railway and to maintain harmonious relations between employees and management, all union executive members are provided with special union card passes or check passes to attend union meetings.

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