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When we become old how we look at the world around us and what we expect from it is what the central idea of this appeal. Being a son of 80 year old father and 73 year old mother I witnessed the treatment that they received as customers of our Indian Railways.
With majority of the available berths being attached to tatkal quota, many are subjected to the random allotment of berth in the tatkal mode. Only those who can plan their travel well in advance or those who have links with significant few in reservation office stand the chance to have berth of their choice. Under these circumstances the most suffered customers of our Indian Railways are unfortunately the common senior citizens of this country – our fathers and mothers / grand fathers and grand mothers.
We are a Nation that contribute a major share in the development of software and its exports to various countries. Sadly we are yet to leverage this unique strength for governing our systems like railways, government departments and various citizen services. The recent confusion and mismanagement of Aadhar Card Allotment in Andhra Pradesh is a classic case of our inability to provide a fool proof system of collecting, recording and using data. If we are really serious about respecting the Senior Citizens of this country we must make concerted efforts to create fool-proof systems and ensure their 100%compliance. Unfortunately no government department and its employee is worried of accountability as it is no way linked to increments, promotion and other benefits that the employee enjoys. This kind of state of affairs has been leading our destiny for the last 6 decades and also leading to the creation of systems and procedures that are not humane and comprehensive at all.
A simple software program is all that is needed for the Indian Raiilways to serve the Senor Citizens in a better manner. By this program the Indian Railways can allot all the avaliable lower berths to Senior Citizens (60 years old passengers of any Nation travelling by Indian Railways). Even if the lower berths are already booked by others, the moment a Senor Citizen makes a request for allotting any available berth, it shall automatically based on the age shall re-allot in such a way that the Sr. Citizen gets the lower berth and younger citizen shall get the available one. This shall be a precondition for making any reservation. This system shall be followed in giving priority to the Senior Citizens in this country. By doing this we the Indians become a model for other Nations to emulate. What we need is the will and humane approach towards the Senior Citizens.
Just think for a while of a situation where a Senior Citizen of 88 years getting allotted side upper berth!! We must remember that not all Indians can afford to send their old parents in flights, dedicated vehicles by road or arrange everything for them at their place of stay. We as a Nation shall be sensitive enough to this fact. Respecting Elders is our Vedic Culture and by doing that we only do good to ourselves and enhance our respect among other Nations. Today we find many insensitive ways of treating Senior Citizens who are illiterates. There are instances of a 70 year old lady bribing a govt employee every month to get her old age pension. For this she has to visit the govt office every month, stand before the govt employee and wait for her turn, then accept the reduced amount. We can witness this even today in many parts of the country.
Every one of us would eventually become old. When we start now and ensure that the present generation of Senior Citizens get their due in all govt and private transactions, we can be sure of a sensitive society when we become old.