Delhi, Bihar govts clash over train bill

PATNA

PATNA

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The Bihar government has objected to the Delhi government’s letter seeking reimbursement of fares paid by the latter for passengers travelling to Bihar by Shramik Special train from Delhi, which reached Saturday morning with 1,100-odd passengers.

The state government, in reply to the letter written by Delhi government’s nodal officer on May 7, asking for reimbursement, said the request was a clear violation of guidelines issued by the Ministry of Railways.

The reply, issued by Pratyaya Amrit, principal secretary (disaster management department), Bihar, cited the clause 11 (c) of guidelines issued by Ministry of Railways (vide no. DTP/2020/05/17 dated 2nd May, 2020) which says, “The local state government authority shall hand over the tickets to the passengers cleared by them and collect the ticket fare and handover the total amount to railways.”

“In consonance with this policy, we shall reimburse the fare to the Railway, and not to the Delhi government,” the letter says.

The Delhi government’s letter had sought reimbursement of Rs 6.5 lakh.

As per guidelines of the central government, either the destination state or the origin state of the train concerned has to bear 15% of the ticket cost while the remaining 85% will be taken care of by the Centre. The tickets are to be charged by the railways at sleeper class rates plus an additional Rs 50.