Indian Railway To Charge ‘User Fee’ At Highly Busy Station

New Delhi : The decision that Indian Railways is going to take now is going to have a direct impact on your pocket. Indian Railways will soon start charging ‘user charge’ from passengers at redeveloped and highly busy stations just like air fares. Railway’s decision comes at a time when concern is being expressed in the country about the possible increase in train fares and bringing private companies in the rail sector.

Railway Board Chairman BK Yadav said on Thursday that this decision has been taken to raise revenue in order to provide better facilities to the passengers. This will be the first time that such a fee will be charged from railway passengers after it comes into effect.

He further said that the fee will be nominal and it will be applicable only on 10-15 percent of the seven thousand railway stations in the country. The chairman said that we will charge a very nominal ‘user charge’. We will issue a user charge notification for all stations that are being redeveloped. ‘

Yadav said that the ‘User Charge’ will not be charged at all seven thousand stations, but only at those stations where the number of passengers will increase in the next five years. This will be applicable only at about 10-15 percent stations. This statement comes at a time when concern is being expressed over the possible increase in rail fares in the country and the introduction of private companies in the rail sector.