Railways hikes platform ticket price to discourage crowding at stations

Indian railways has asked its officials to decide on increasing platform ticket fares to stop people from crowding at train stations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Instructions have been issued to divisional railway managers to take local decision to increase platform ticket fare to control the crowd at the stations during Covid-19 pandemic. This decision will be reviewed post the pandemic,” said Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav.

The clarification from Indian railways came after a photo of a platform ticket with Rs 50 written on it issued at Pune Junction Railway Station went viral on social media.

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In the clarification, Indian railways mentioned that the platform ticket fare at Pune Junction railway station was hiked mainly to prevent people from unnecessary visits and to keep the footfall to a minimum during this pandemic. Railways will review its decision post the COVID-19 pandemic.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tweeted a photo of the platform tickets.

“Rs 3 railway platform ticket in Congress raj has become Rs 50 under BJP raj,” Singh wrote on Tweeter.

The first ticket of Rs 3 was dated back to December 14, 2011 while the second ticket, issued at Pune junction in Maharashtra, of Rs 50 is from August 2020.

Reacting to the tweet by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, Indian railways said that there is nothing new in railways taking steps to prevent unwanted crowding at stations.

“The objective of Pune junction pricing the platform ticket at Rs 50 is to stop those who unnecessarily come to the station so that social distancing can be followed. Railways have been controlling the platform ticket rates in this way through the start of the corona pandemic,” tweeted the Railway Ministry.

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