Optional Travel Insurance Scheme urged for railway staff

VISAKHAPATNAM Senior National Railway Trade Union leader and Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (DRUCC) member Chalasani Gandhi on Tuesday urged the Railway Board to extend the Optional Travel Insurance Scheme (OTIS) to serving railway employees, pensioners, and their eligible family members travelling on Privilege Passes and Privilege Ticket Orders (PTOs). Mr.

Gandhi stated in a release that following directions from the Supreme Court the Railway Board had extended the optional travel insurance facility – previously restricted to online ticket bookings – to passengers purchasing reserved tickets through Railway Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters with effect from October 27. Under the scheme, passengers receive an accident insurance coverage of up to ₹10 lakh against a nominal premium of 45 paise.

The scheme covers compensation for death, permanent disability, hospitalisation expenses, and transportation of mortal remains. Questioning the rationale behind excluding railway personnel from the welfare measure, Mr.