Travelling in Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto just got a bit costlier. After implementing season charges on freight, fuel adjustment component (FAC) on passenger and freight segments in the past 10 days, the railways has further increased the fares of these premium trains effective from October 17.
The ticket rates of Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains will go up further by about Rs 25 to Rs 27 with an upward revision in food tariff.
This is the second increase in passenger fares applicable in a few selected trains in a month as the railways had increased the fares by 2% in all trains on October 7. In January too, the national transporter hiked passenger fares by around 20%. Despite regular revisions, the railways is Rs 2,000 crore behind the targeted revenue for the passenger segment for the current fiscal.
?The base fare of premier trains has not been increased and only food prices have been revised, which will result in overall hike in ticket rates,? a railway board official said. The railways has also decreased the size of the menu of these premium trains by cutting down on fruit juices, tea bags and toffees…As per the decision, the ticket rates of AC-II, AC-III and chair car in premier trains will go up by about Rs 25 per ticket.
The AC-II, AC-III and chair car passengers comprise about 90% of total passengers in such trains.
For AC-I, Executive class and Duronto sleeper-class the revised tariff will go up be about Rs 30 per ticket. The railways has a total revenue target of Rs 1.43 lakh crore for the current fiscal and it has pegged its operating ratio at 87.8%.
