Widow pass

Eligibility

• Widows of those railway employees who were in service on 12.3.87 and opted for the scheme of Widow Pass OR Widows of those railway employees who joined service on or after 12.3.87 and are compulsorily governed under the scheme of Widow Pass are eligible for Widow Passes.
• Widows of railway employees who were in service prior to 12.3.1987 will be eligible to be admitted to the scheme of 'Widow Pass' scheme on a one-time payment of Rs. 250.
• Widows of railway employees who had opted out of the scheme of Widow Pass will also be eligible to be admitted to the scheme of Widow Pass on a one-time payment of Rs. 250.
   

No. of Passes Admissible in a year

Half the number of Post retirement Complimentary Passes that the railway employee was either receiving at the time of his demise after retirement or in case of death in service would be notionally eligible to receive by reckoning the date of death as the date of retirement provided that:

• The widow(s) of a Group 'D' Railway employee entitled (or notionally entitled) to one set of Post-retirement Complimentary pass every alternate year, shall be entitled to one set of Complimentary Pass every alternate year.
• The widow(s) of any Railway employee, who dies while in service, shall be entitled to a minimum of one set of Pass every alternate year. Thus, she will be eligible to one set of Pass in two years, even if the service of the employee before death falls short of the requisite service prescribed for entitlement for Post-retirement Complimentary Passes

Other conditions

• Widows/their dependents who are eligible for such Passes should be issued Family Identity Card and the same should be carried by them during their journey.
• In case there is more than one widow the passes for widows shall be given by rotation in a specified year.
• The class of Pass would be same as is admissible to the Railway employees on retirement.
• Dependent relatives are not entitled to be included in such Passes. However, dependant widow mother of the deceased Railway employee may be included in the Widow Pass as family member of the widow *
• Widow will not be entitled to this facility if she becomes otherwise entitled to the Pass facility due to her son's employment in Railways or on her own employment on the Railways or on her re-marriage .
• The facility of a Companion will be allowed on the 1st Class /1st 'A' Widow Pass holders who are above the age of 65 years.

References

*   Board's Letter No. E(W)96 PS5-8/2 dated 24/7/2000 (RBE 142/2000)