No rail fare increase, while online quota is tightened

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu aims in his February 25 Railway Budget at consolidating the established freight and passenger charges rather than implementing new ones. An increase of 10% in passenger fares will yield the Railways say about Rs.4,500 crores, which is pittance for the railway volumes. On the other hand, there is much more money available from the creation of new infrastructure and so on. The Ministry would exploit this aspect. The Prime Minister's Office agrees with the Railway Minister's view, it is stated. The Railways are going to be tight in regard to touts who play havoc with online reservations between important stations. There will be a limit of 6 times online reservation from an ID. The railways have found that the average online use by genuine passengers is two to five times per month. Hence the 6 times online reservation limit. Besides, a user can only book twice on the online system between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. so the lines are not clogged for genuine users. The same goes for Tatkal booking between 10 a.m. and 12 noon. Ticketing agents have been barred from using online reservation from 8 am to 8.30 a.m., and tatkal facility between 10 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. Bookings are barred for e-valet and cash cards use between 8 a.m. to 12 noon. The ICRTC, which is tightening online reservations, restricts online reservation from a user ID for travel and return booking only between 8 a.m. and 12 noon, or reservation on two trains only during the period.