Indian Railways will now charge a user fees for using 1000+ railway stations. Newly appointed Railway Board CEO VK Yadav has declared that rail passengers will be now charged with user fees for using railway stations.
This is similar to airport development fees being charged by airlines and airports in every air ticket.
As per Yadav, this user fees will eventually consumed in improving the services at the railway stations, but will be charged prior to any work being completed.
He said, “When the redevelopment of the stations gets completed, the money will go to the concessionaires; till then that money will go to the railways for improving facilities across stations. It will be an affordable amount, but it is important to levy if we want to provide world-class facilities similar to the airport developments. We want to upgrade all our major railway stations,”
User Fees :-
Indian Railways has identified around 10%-15% of the 7000 railway stations, where this user fees will be charged. Incase any passenger books any ticket to and from these 1000 railway stations, a new user fees will be added in the train ticket.
The exact user fees has not been finalized yet, but as per Yadav, it will be less.
He said, “We are going to keep a very small amount for the user charge,”
These 10-15% railway stations will be the one where Indian Railways receive maximum traffic, and most of the footfalls.
Interestingly, Indian Railways had earlier announced that a public-private partnership will be forged to redevelop railway stations.
