New Delhi: Half of the
tatkal tickets on 80 trains have become costlier with the railways deciding to
partially implement the dynamic fare system under which charges will depend on
demand.
The decision, clearly aimed at mopping up more
revenues by the cash-strapped railways, comes in the midst of festival season
when there is a big rush of train travelers
"It has been decided that 50 per cent of
the existing tatkal quota ticket shall be sold under dynamic fare scheme,"
said a senior Railway Ministry official.
As per the scheme, 50 per cent of tatkal quota
tickets would be sold under the existing system and the subsequent 50 per cent
under 'premium tatkal' quota of dynamic pricing.
It will mean more the demand, more the cost.
The 'Premium Tatkal Ticket' scheme will be
applicable to 80 trains from October one and like Premium train, the scheme
will be available online only.
Railway Board Member (Traffic) D P Pandey said,
"The Premium Tatkal ticket scheme has been launched for 80 popular trains.
All zones have been asked to identify five popular trains in their respective
zone.
"We will see the response and then we will
decide on extending the scheme to other trains."
He emphasised that only 50 per cent of the
tatkal tickets will be sold under the dynamic fare system while the rest will
be sold on regular tatkal fare basis.
There is tremendous rush for tickets during the
festive season as passengers prefer to travel to their home towns for
celebrating Dusshera and Diwali.
However, railways has described the scheme as a
preventive measure to deal with the menace of touts.
"There were reports of genuine passengers
being fleeced by touts. This will help facilitating needy passengers to get tickets,"
the official said.
The scheme, applicable on selected trains, will
increase the prices of tatkal tickets and as an end result the train fare.
Northern Railway has identified five trains including Saptakranti Express, two Mumbai Rajdhani trains and Vaishali Express to implement Premium Tatkal scheme.
Northern Railway has identified five trains including Saptakranti Express, two Mumbai Rajdhani trains and Vaishali Express to implement Premium Tatkal scheme.
Some trains which have been identified for
implementation of the scheme are Hyderabad-New Delhi Andhra Pradesh Express,
Hyderabad-Hazrat Nizamuddin Dakshin Express, Secunderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express,
Kacheguda-Bangalore Express and Secunderabad-Patna Express.
The tatkal scheme currently covers around 2677
trains.
According to railway figures, around 1.71 lakh
seats, of the 11.57 lakh available, are up for booking under the tatkal scheme.
It is also a prominent source of income for the
Railways, raking in about Rs 1000 cr last year.
"The scheme has been launched to deal with
the problem of touts. There were reports of genuine passengers being fleeced by
touts. This will help facilitating needy passengers to get tickets," a
senior Railway Ministry official said.
The scheme, applicable on selected train, will increase the prices of tatkal
tickets and as an end result the train fare.
Railways is also running 50 premium trains on
dynamic fare system, like flights.
It had increased tatkal charges last year in
April by ten per cent of the basic fare for reserved second class sitting and
30 per cent of basic fare for all other classes.
NDA government has increased train fares of all
classes by 14.2 per cent on June 25.
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