House panel for 'reasonable' raise in rail passenger fares

After employees, a parliamentary panel has asked Indian Railways to go in for an increase in passenger fares. The consultative committee on railways, at a recent meeting, strongly advocated a rise in travel rates “within reasonable limits”.

The panel said it was suggesting this measure to not only offset the inflationary trend and diesel price rise, but also to plough back the resources raised for the benefit of passengers and improvements in the railway system. Some members even suggested the Railways stress upon the Public Private Partnership model to attract private investment in various activities, so as to overcome resources shortage.

Minister Dinesh Trivedi, addressing the meeting, said, the Railways was going in for “all feasible, technological measures and improvement” in asset liability to reduce human dependence. Present at the meeting were Railway Board chairman Vinay Mittal, members of the Railway Board and senior officials of the ministry of railways.

The railways have not gone for a passenger fare rise for the last eight years. The passenger to freight fare ratio is the lowest in the world, suggesting that passenger fare is highly subsidised on the back of freight fares. Railway revenues have come under severe strain due to increase in salaries of employees and cost of operations.