A recent Right To Information (RTI) reply has clarified longstanding confusion regarding the student half-fare concession on Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) and Smart City buses across the union territory.
Social activist Shahid Shafi from Chakoora Pulwama had sought clarity after reports, supported by some drivers and district General Managers, that only five students per bus could avail of the concession.
The RTI response from the JKRTC, clearly states that there is no rule limiting the number of students eligible for a half-fare on a single bus. “The only requirement is a valid college or school identity card; no additional paperwork or permissions are necessary,” it said.
Contrary to circulating rumours, students are not assigned reserved or fixed seats. The concession applies universally to any seat, provided the student presents a valid ID, the response added.
Since the scheme’s introduction in June 2017, JKRTC has issued directives instructing bus staff and managers to honour the half-fare concession without restrictions.
The department also clarified that students who are denied their benefit can file a complaint directly with the General Manager (Operations) at JKRTC, M A Road, Srinagar.
Interestingly, records show no official grievances in the past three years, which might indicate either a lack of awareness among students or a reluctance to report issues.
The department reassured that every genuine student presenting a valid ID is entitled to the half-fare, regardless of how many other students are travelling on the same bus. Passengers facing denial of the benefit or being charged full fare are advised to note the details of the bus, such as route number, date and time, and report the incident to the GM (Operations).
The scheme also extends concessions to categories like differently-abled persons, war widows, and HIV/AIDS patients, each with specific documentation guidelines. For example, children up to three years old are exempt from fare calculations, while children aged three to twelve are charged half the fare. Fifty per cent of the seats in all state-registered stage carriage vehicles are reserved for women and persons with disabilities, with provisions allowing other passengers to occupy these seats if vacant, and no fare is charged for mobility aids like wheelchairs and tricycles—(KNO)
