New Delhi: On Wednesday, Members of Parliament demanded the government restore the 50 per cent concession in rail fares for senior citizens and journalists, which was discontinued during the Covid pandemic. Participating in the debate on demands for grants for railways in the Lok Sabha, Independent MP Pappu Yadav urged the government to restore concessions for senior citizens and journalists.

There is also a need to increase the number of general train coaches.

He said separate toilets should be provided for women on trains, and there is also a need to increase the number of general coaches on trains. MDMK's Durai Vaiko also raised the issue and said that the 50 per cent discount given to senior citizens and accredited press media on train tickets has still not been restored.

Vaiko said that it should be restarted. He said that as policymakers, we should care for the interests of the press and media, the fourth pillar of democracy. Vaiko also requested the government to restore the monthly seasonal ticket concession given to students till the lockdown of March 2020.

The safety of passengers should be the government's priority.

Lok Sabha MP NK Premachandran expressed concern over the safety aspects of railways and said that the budget allocation for these issues is inadequate. Revolutionary Socialist Party MP Premachandran said that passenger safety should be the government's priority. He said that many lives could have been saved if the government could manufacture and install automatic train-protection system shields in all trains.