Railway fares hiked by 14.2 per cent from today; freight charges up by 6.5 per cent
New Delhi: In an unpopular decision, railway passenger fare was increased by 14.2 per cent in all classes while freight charge was hiked by 6.5 per cent with effect from Friday.
The decision of the Railways today restores an announcement of May 16, the day Lok Sabha election results came, when the same hike was effected but immediately put on hold.
The Railways had then issued a notification effecting hike in passenger fare by 14.2 per cent across the board and freight charges by 6.5 per cent from May 20. This was followed up with an official press release.
The May 16 fare hike decision, which had raised eyebrows as it came in the midst of Lok Sabha election results, led to a scurry of activities in Rail Bhawan on that day and the Railway Board went into a huddle to discuss its fallout.
Soon after, the red-faced Railway Ministry had put the decision on hold, saying the matter related to the revision will be left to the next government.
The then Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge came out with a statement directing the Board to leave the decision on the hike to the new government.
"It is now informed that under the directions of the Minister of Railways Mallikarjun Kharge, the decision on the proposed hike in the freight charges and passenger fares have been kept pended till further advice for placing this proposal before the new government," the statement said.
A fresh notification was issued later, stating that the "revision of fares with effect from May 20 should be pended till further advice."
Here are the reactions from few leaders on the railway hike:
This will affect passengers at large,this is an anti-middle class and poor ppl move- CM Naveen Patnaik on Rail fare pic.twitter.com/XLJMB2jJ4b
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2014Same dirty tricks of prev Govt, following same path,common man is already burdened- Derek O'Brien (TMC) on Rail fare pic.twitter.com/pJlwNaT3PT
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2014It is unprecedented,will be a disaster, Ye ache din hain to ane wale din bahut bure hone wale hain-Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) on Rail fare hike
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2014To meet all the expenditures I was forced to implement the orders given by the previous govt- Sadananda Gowda, Railway Minister
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2014I have signed the orders,will come to effect from 25th- Sadananda Gowda, Railway Minister on Rail fare hike pic.twitter.com/az9TAZD81E
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2014Ache din ka sapna dikha kar desh ko gumraah karne wali sarkar ne pehla top chalaya hai- Lalu Yadav on Rail fare hike pic.twitter.com/bR9IVixJEv
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2014Same ppl opposed previous govt for any imp economic decision on grounds of burdening common people,ironical- Manish Tewari on Rail fare hike
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2014They should have proposed this in the Rail budget,Ye ache dino ka agaaz to nhi hai- Nitish Kumar on Rail fare hike pic.twitter.com/K7MUyQTSnj
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 20, 2014