Rail fare hike News

The Congress party in Goa on Monday alleged a communal design on part of the BJP government at the Centre and in the state with regard to the 300 per cent hike in special train fare from Goa to the Velankannni shrine in Tamil Nadu, which hosts a popular Catholic feast of "Our Lady of Good Health" on September 8.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday presented his maiden Rail Budget for the fiscal year 2015-16 ruling out privatisation of the nation's economic lifeline and any hike in passengers' fare.

Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha on Saturday made it clear that as of now there is no proposal to hike rail fares.

Travel by train will be costlier from Wednesday as the recently announced hike of 14.2 per cent in passenger fares will come into effect.

Naidu explained the sequence of events relating to rail fare hike beginning with a proposal being made on February six this year.

He said the decision was taken by the United Progressive Alliance government in the interim budget in February.

Stating that the choice before the government was to allow the railways to bleed and eventually walk into a debt trap or raise fares, Jaitley said, "India must decide whether it wants a world-class railway or a ramshackled one.

India must decide whether it wants a world-class railway or a ramshackled one, Jaitley added after rail fare hike.

The Railways Ministry Friday evening issued a clarification stating that the fare and freight hike announced was inclusive of fuel adjustment component, which is done every six months.

Railway minister has hiked the passenger fares by 14.2 percent effective from midnight tonight.

A decision on hiking passenger fares and on allowing foreign direct investment in railways is likely to be taken before the Rail Budget, the government said on Thursday.

Railways is waiting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nod to go ahead with the proposed hike in passenger fare and freight rate.