Photographs: Courtesy, PIB
Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal did not hike passengers' fares while presenting his Railway Budget at the Parliament on Tuesday.
The minister announced that there will be a marginal hike in Tatkal fares.
The minister said that 5.2 per cent growth in passenger traffic is expected in 2013-14.
. . .
Complete coverage: Union Budget 2013-14
Budget Impact Live!
No hike in rail fares, additional charges on tickets
Photographs: Courtesy, PIB
The first Congress minister to present a Railway Budget in 17 years, Bansal adopted Fuel Adjustment Component introduced by former Trinamool Minister Dinesh Trivedi which will be dynamic in nature and change in either direction with revision in fuel cost twice a year.
He said this may result in an upward revision of freight tariff, effective from April 1, this year, by less than 5 per cent.
. . .
Complete coverage: Union Budget 2013-14
Budget Impact Live!
No hike in rail fares, additional charges on tickets
Photographs: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images
In his 75-minute speech which was drowned in opposition slogan-shouting towards the end, Bansal said there are a number of supplementary charges which have not been revised for last several years.
"I propose to effect marginal increase in some of these.
"These include supplementary charge for superfast trains, reservation fee, clerkage charge, cancellation charge and tatkal charge," he said, without specifying the quantum of these charges.
. . .
Complete coverage: Union Budget 2013-14
Budget Impact Live!
No hike in fares, additional charges on tickets
Photographs: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images
Bansal, however, proposed to abolish the concept of enhanced reservation fee with a view to simplifying the fee structure, having already discontinued development charge in January this year.
In January, the minister effected an across-the-board hike in passenger fares that would net Rs 6,600 crore a year.
However, the subsequent hike in diesel price and electricity charges put an additional burden of Rs 3,300 crore on the railways which is projected to see a loss of Rs 24,600 crore (Rs 246 billion) in the current financial year, up from Rs 22,500 crore (Rs 225 billion) in 2011-12 in passenger traffic segment.
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