Authorities say the hike is an attempt to prevent crowding at busy railway stations amid the rising number of COVID-19 infections across Mumbai
In Mumbai region, the hike has been affected for Dadar central, CSMT, Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Panvel, Thane, Kalyan and Bhiwandi Road stations. File/Ashish Raje
The Indian Railways justified on Sunday its recent decision to raise the cost of platform tickets stressing that it was an attempt to prevent crowds from gathering at one place and that the hike was applicable only to a few stations. For instance, in Mumbai, it is costlier in just seven stations.
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Busy stations like Dadar central, CSMT, Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Panvel, Thane, Kalyan and Bhiwandi Road are the stations in the metropolis where one has to pay R50 for a platform ticket as against the usual price of Rs 10. No such hike has been affected at stations on the Western Railway.
“Hike in price of platform tickets is a temporary measure and is a field activity undertaken by the railway administration in the interest of safety of passengers to prevent overcrowding at stations. To deter more people from visiting stations, platform ticket charges are increased from time to time after assessing ground situation,” a senior official said. There is a need to regulate the rush at platforms else it might add to the rising number of COVID-19 cases, said the official.
A year ago, many divisions in railways had increased the platform ticket price at various stations to avoid crowding. The hike was revoked later. “During festivals like Chathh, Diwali or melas in different zones, platform ticket rates are often temporarily increased and later on rolled back. Local railway managers have been given powers of decision regarding this since 2015,” the official clarified.
The announcement of the hike came close on the heels of an increase the cost of tickets for short-distance trains, which was aimed at discouraging unnecessary travel in the middle of the pandemic, the national transporter said.
Rs 50
Cost of the platform ticket at the 7 stations
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