Mumbaikars taken for a ride- Cost of train passes to more than double

Mumbai Mirror

Mumbai, 21 June 2014:  The fare hike effected by Indian Railways on Friday, and which will come in force from June 25, will hit Mumbaikars hard. The first-class season-ticket fare for local trains will be more than double the existing one for most distances. 

A minimum 10 per cent increase in fares for all classes in all categories of trains --including long-distance - was announced, though there will be no change in charges for reservation fees, supercharges etc. 

 

 

The second-class monthly season tickets for suburban and non-suburban trains will be charged on the basis of 30 single journeys instead of approximately 15 journeys, as charged currently. So the fare for second-class local passes more than doubles for most distances. 

For card tickets issued for travel on local trains, there is a Rs 5 hike in fares for longer distances. 

For long-distance journeys, until new tickets are printed and made available, the existing tickets with alterations in fares will be issued after June 25. In case of long-distance train tickets that are already issued at pre-revised rates, the difference in fares and other charges will be recovered either before journeys or by Travelling Ticket Examiners.

The local trains are the lifeline for the over two crore people of the Mumbai metropolitan region. The city local services consist of three lines — the Western, Central and Harbour lines, ferrying together over 70 lakh people per day.

As per the revised fares, effective 25 June, a Rs 85 monthly season ticket (II Class) will now cost Rs 150, while a Rs 190 monthly pass will be priced at Rs 480.

Similarly, the monthly season pass of Rs 795 for the first class has been revised to Rs 1,930. Likewise, a first class commuter with a monthly pass of Rs 1,740 will now have to shell out Rs 2,120 more for the same journey.

"Second class monthly season tickets fares shall be charged on the basis of 30 single journeys instead of around 15 single journeys charged currently," the Railways said in a statement.

Fares of First Class monthly season tickets will be charged four times that of the Second Class monthly season tickets fares.