The Indian Railways has increased railway platform fares in the southern States until January 20 during the Makar Sankranti festival. Platform ticket rates at Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Lingampalli, and Begumpet railway stations, as well as other major railway stations on the Secunderabad Division, have been temporarily hiked, according to a South Central Railway notification.
The Railways have decided to hike fares in order to manage the crowds amid rising COVID-19 cases. The Railways have announced a two-fold hike in the fares of most stations, while the platform ticket price in Secunderabad station has been increased five times.
Here are the new fares
The Indian Railways hiked fares in February 2021 to prevent unnecessary travel. Last year, the Railway ministry announced that as a special measure in response to the pandemic, the fares of short-distance special trains have been fixed at the same level as the fare of unreserved mail and express train tickets for the same distance.
In addition, the Indian Railways has also decided to levy a fee for boarding and alighting at redeveloped stations.
Passengers boarding or alighting at redeveloped stations are expected to pay more for long-distance trains as the Railways plans to levy a station development fee ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 50, varying on the class.
The fee is expected to be added to train ticket charges during the booking process, according to officials. The fee will be charged only after the stations are operational.
There would be three types of user fees. All AC classes cost Rs 50, sleeper classes cost Rs 25, and unreserved classes cost Rs 10. According to a Railway Board circular, there will be no station development fee for suburban train journeys.
The circular informed that a fee for Station Development will be charged from the passengers at these stations.
