Passengers buying reserved tickets at railway reservation counters will be able to opt for cover of up to ₹10 lakh from 27 October, following a Supreme Court order.
Indian Railways will begin offering optional travel insurance to passengers buying reserved tickets at Passenger Reservation System counters from October 27, extending a benefit that has so far been limited to online bookings. The move follows a Supreme Court order dated October 6 in the case of Union of India vs Radha Yadav, and the Railway Board has told zonal railways to have the new arrangements in place by the deadline.
The scheme will remain voluntary. Passengers who want the cover will need to give consent at the time of booking, provide a mobile number and pay the premium digitally along with the ticket fare. Policy details will then be sent to the registered phone number. Those who choose not to opt in will not receive cover under the programme.
According to reports in The Times of India and The Indian Express, the same terms that already apply to online ticket buyers will apply at counter bookings as well. The premium is 45 paise per passenger, including taxes, and the cover includes up to ₹10 lakh for death or permanent total disability, ₹7.5 lakh for permanent partial disability, up to ₹2 lakh for hospital expenses arising from injuries and ₹10,000 for transporting mortal remains.
The Railway Board has also told reservation staff to explain the scheme clearly, record consent properly and answer passenger queries. Divisional Railway Managers and commercial officers will oversee implementation, while any technical problems are to be reported to the Centre for Railway Information Systems and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation for fixing. The change is intended to widen access to travel insurance, especially for passengers who continue to book at stations rather than online.
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