Railways restore ‘Passenger Train’ fares
Chennai, Feb 28:
The Indian Railways on February 27 restored the Second Class Ordinary Fares on ‘Passenger Trains’
renamed as ‘Express Specials’ or ‘MEMU/DEMU Express’ Trains.
Post-COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the Railways had gradually withdrawn ‘Passenger Trains’ by
changing their nomenclature. The ‘Ordinary Class’ fares were dispensed with and the minimum cost of
ticket was increased from ₹10 to ₹30 on par with Express Train fares.
According to railway sources, the Chief Booking Reservation Supervisors were informed that the
minimum fare in Second Class Ordinary Trains had been reversed with effect from the wee hours of
Tuesday.
The Railway Board convened a review meeting and sent out an alert to all Zonal Railways across the
network to revert back to the older fares, the sources said.
The report ‘Railways brings down the curtain on ‘passenger trains’ had highlighted how the era of
‘Passenger Trains’ had come to an end and commuters, especially small vendors, daily wage workers
and other poor passengers, are paying double the charge for travelling in the same slow-moving train.
