Indian Railways is the lifeline of the country. Every day lakhs of passengers travel by train. But recently the discussion of increasing the prices of railway tickets has started. Parliamentary committee has recommended to Railways to increase the fares of AC coaches. This has increased anxiety among passengers. Will tickets really be that expensive? What response has the Railways given on this? Let us know the complete information.
Rail travel is the cheapest and popular means of travel in India. From poor to rich, people of every class use railways. But Railways suffers huge losses every year. The income from passenger fares falls short of the expenditure. Therefore, demand for increasing the fare keeps arising from time to time.
Proposal to increase train ticket prices
The Standing Committee of Parliament has suggested to the Railways that the fares of AC coaches should be reviewed. The committee says that the income from passenger fares is much less than the income from freight transportation. Therefore, this difference can be reduced by increasing the fares of AC coaches.
Overview of rail fare increase
| Description | Information |
| proposed increase | AC coach fare |
| Reason | less income from passenger fares |
| suggestive | parliamentary standing committee |
| effective date | not decided yet |
| current subsidy | 46% per ticket |
| total subsidy amount | Rs 56,993 crore annually |
| affected passengers | Those traveling in AC coach |
| normal range | fare will not increase |
Railway’s answer
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav told in the Lok Sabha that Railways is already giving 46% discount on every ticket. If the price of a ticket is Rs 100, the passenger pays only Rs 54. Every year Railways gives subsidy of Rs 56,993 crore.
Railways has clarified that there is no proposal to increase the fare as of now. But this may happen in future. Railways may have to take steps to recover from losses.
The logic behind increasing the fare
Railways have some strong reasons for increasing the fare:
- Income from passenger fares is low
- Railways incur huge losses every year
- Passengers traveling in AC coach can pay higher fare
- Relief can be given to the poor by keeping the fare of general category low.
- It is necessary to increase income to provide better facilities
impact of fare increase
If the fare of AC coach increases then its effect can be something like this:
- There will be additional burden on the middle class
- The number of passengers in AC coaches may reduce.
- People may prefer road or air travel
- Railway’s income may increase
- can get better facilities
Current financial situation of Railways
The financial condition of Railways is not good. Some key figures:
- Income of Rs 80,000 crore from passenger fares in 2022-23
- Income of Rs 1.8 lakh crore from freight transportation
- Subsidy worth Rs 56,993 crore every year
- huge losses during covid
Passengers’ reaction
There is concern among passengers due to the news of fare increase. Some reactions:
- “Already troubled by inflation, now rail fares will also increase?”
- “It will be difficult to travel in AC coach”
- “Government should take care of the poor”
- “There is no harm in paying a little more for better facilities”
Challenges facing the Railways
Railways face many challenges:
- Capital needed for modernization
- Renovation of old tracks and bridges
- Need to bring new technology
- Improvement in passenger amenities
- strengthen security system
government options
The government has some options:
- Increase in fare of only AC coaches
- Increase the fare of all categories gradually
- Keeping passenger fares low by increasing freight fares
- promote private investment
- cut costs
future plans
Some of the ambitious plans of Railways are:
- bullet train project
- Semi high-speed Vande Bharat trains
- Modernization of stations
- Development of new routes
- Dedicated freight corridor for freight trains
Tips for travelers
If fares increase, passengers can keep these things in mind:
- book in advance
- travel in off season
- Take advantage of discounts and offers
- use rail pass
- avoid tatkal tickets
conclusion
The issue of increasing rail fare is very sensitive. The government will have to strike a balance between the interests of the common man and the Railways. It is important to consider all aspects before increasing the fare. Railways should improve its services so that passengers are willing to pay a little more for a better experience.
Disclaimer
This article has been written for information purposes only. There has been no official announcement yet about increasing the rail fare. This is just a proposal that is being considered. Passengers need not panic. The government will definitely take public opinion before making any changes.
