TMC wants roll back of rail fare hike: Sudip Bandyopadhyay

New Delhi, Mar 15 (ANI): Slamming Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi for unilaterally deciding on a hike in passengers fares, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay on Thursday said his party is demanding an immediate roll back of fares.

"The Trinamool Congress believes in the principle of Maa, Maati, Manush, and wants that the increase in rail fares be rolled back. Increased fares of railways is a burden on the poor people," Bandyopadhyay told media here.

Asked to confirm whether the party had sought Trivedi's resignation, Bandyopadhyay said, "Trinamool Party is of the view that he should not be the rail minister.

He asked: "Tomorrow when Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee would present the budget, what do you think, he did not consult the PM?"

The demand for the sacking of Trivedi was in response to his decision to hike passenger fares without consulting Banerjee or the TMC leadership. The latter felt that the measure was an anti-poor step.

Trivedi had in his maiden Railway Budget proposed a hike of one paise per km for suburban and ordinary second class travel. He also called for a fare increase for mail express and second class trains at three paisa per km; for sleeper class five paisa per km; for AC chair car, AC 3 tier and First Class by 10 paise per km; AC 2 Tier 15 paise per km; and AC I 30 paise per km.

He said the corresponding rationalization in minimum distance and fare chargeable in various classes has also been proposed.

The proposed revisions will have marginal impact on the fares. The increase in fares for suburban second class passengers traveling 35 km will be Rs.2. For non-suburban second class ordinary passenger traveling a distance of 135 km, increase will be Rs.4 only.

For second class mail or express passenger traveling a distance of 375 km, the addition to the fare will be Rs.12 and that for a 750 km journey by sleeper class on mail/express train will be Rs.40. An AC 3 tier passenger traveling a distance of 530 km will be required to pay an additional Rs.57. The increase for AC 2 tier and AC I passenger traveling over same distance will be Rs.84 and Rs.163 respectively. (ANI)