E-Paper
No increase in passenger fares
The Railway Budget for 2003-04 proposes no increase in passenger fares and freight rates.
The Railway Budget for 2003-04 proposes no increase in passenger fares and freight rates.
Rationalisation of fare structure for Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains will result in lower basic fares for most pairs of stations in these trains.
Concessional fares for non-peak period between July 15 and September 15 in 2003 in AC 1st Class and AC 2 tier in all Rajdhani trains is being proposed.
Presenting the Budget for 2003-04, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar said the scales for charging of parcel and luggage rates will be reduced from seven to four with ratio between highest and lowest rates to be reduced from 8.7 to 6.2.
To make the freight rates competitive, it is proposed to reduce the classification of certain commodities where Railways are facing stiff competition due to high freight rates.
The classification of petrol for train-load movement is proposed to be reduced by three stages from Class 280 to Class 250, lowering the freight rates by 10.7 per cent.
The classification of certain other commodities is proposed to be reduced by two stages. These include high speed diesel oil, furnace oil, crude oil, Naptha, Liquified Petroleum Gas, compressed gases, lubricating oils, iron and steel, pig iron, iron scrap, cement sheets, petroleum coke and soda ash.
Kumar said fares of Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains will be linked to rationalised fares structure of mail and express trains, fixing the basic fare for each class of Rajdhani and Shatabdi 15 per cent higher than fares of corresponding class of superfast mail and express trains.
