Dinesh Trivedi rebuts media reports of railway fare hike

New Delhi: Railway Minister, Dinesh Trivedi, on Tuesday denied media reports that passenger fares will be hiked in the upcoming annual Railway budget to recover losses and overcome the economic slowdown.

Media reports had earlier suggested that the ministry is likely to increase passenger fares in AC classes with the hike ranging from 10 to 12 percent or Rs 35 for every 500 km.

Passenger fares have not been increased for eight years in spite of rising input costs.

However, Trivedi said the modernisation of the railways was important to prevent accidents.

“If we don’t modernise the railway, then I don’t think we could guarantee 100 percent safety. I have never said that the fare will be increased,” Trivedi told reporters in New Delhi.

The Railway Minister added that his priority was to improve the traveling conditions of general classes as it had been neglected over the years.

“We need to get the money and put more in the general classes and there has to be guaranteed reservation for all the classes. The time has come where there shouldn’t be any waiting list. Everybody must get a guaranteed seat. There has to be dignity for the poor class because I see a lot of poor class going through the window and that is not acceptable to me,” added Trivedi.

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