In a bid to generate more revenue, Indian Railways has increased the fare of 48 mail and express trains by upgrading them to ‘superfast’ train category. The designated average speed is increased by five kilometres per hour, according to a new timetable released on 1st November 2017. Except for the speed, no additional passenger amenity has been added to these trains.
The price hike in these 48 trains is as follows —
Sleeper – INR 30
Second and third AC – INR 45
First AC – INR 75
As per the analysis, Indian Railways is expected to mop up an additional INR 70 crore from these levies. With the addition of 48 trains, the total number of trains designated as superfast in India has also risen to 1,072. However, upgradation doesn’t guarantee that these trains would run on time.
