Train fares marginally increased across all classes

New Delhi, Mar 14 (ANI): Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, who presented the Railway Budget proposals for 2012-13 in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, announced a minor increase in fares so as to cause minimal impact on the common man.

He has proposed one paise per km extra for suburban and ordinary second class travel.

Similarly, increase for mail express second class will be three paisa per km; for sleeper class five paisa per km; for AC chair car, AC 3 tier and First Class by 10 paise per km; AC 2 Tier 15 paise per km; and AC I 30 paise per km.

He said the corresponding rationalization in minimum distance and fare chargeable in various classes has also been proposed.

The proposed revisions will have marginal impact on the fares. The increase in fares for suburban second class passengers traveling 35 km will be Rs.2. For non-suburban second class ordinary passenger traveling a distance of 135 km, increase will be Rs.4 only.

For second class mail or express passenger traveling a distance of 375 km, the addition to the fare will be Rs.12 and that for a 750 km journey by sleeper class on mail/express train will be Rs.40. An AC 3 tier passenger traveling a distance of 530 km will be required to pay an additional Rs.57. The increase for AC 2 tier and AC I passenger traveling over same distance will be Rs.84 and Rs.163 respectively.

Trivedi said the proposed adjustments would not even cover the impact of increase in fuel prices during last eight years and the passengers of Indian Railways have been insulated from the burden of increase .

He also announced intention to segregate fuel component in the cost associated with passenger services.

He said the mechanism to be called FAC (fuel adjustment component) will be dynamic nature and will change in either direction with the change in fuel cost. He said it was not possible for Indian Railways to keep the passengers cushioned from the impact of input cost increases in future. (ANI)