Platform tickets to cost Rs 50 in some Mumbai stations to avoid overcrowding; know details here
On the other hand, the Western Railway is yet to take a call for the stations in its jurisdictions.
Citizens of Mumbai will now have to pay more money to avail platform tickets at select major railway stations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), as the prices have been hiked by the Central Railways. This has been done to avoid overcrowding at stations with the onset of the festive season amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The new ticket would now cost Rs 50, from the earlier charge of Rs 10, an increase of Rs 40.
An official statement from the Central Railway zone read that “This has been done to curb the excessive rush at platforms and railway stations and concourses and terminus during the festive season.”
New measures are only temporary
The fare hike will be in stations such as, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Dadar, and Lokmanya Tilak terminus in Mumbai and would apply to the neighbouring Thane, Kalyan and Panvel of the Mumbai division, which came into effect on Friday morning.
However, the railways clarified that these measures were temporary, and would be used towards a short term crowd control for stations that witness a heavy rush and curb the surge in Covid-19 cases in the region. It also added that this has been in practice for years and there is nothing new about it.
On the other hand, the Western Railway is yet to take a call for the stations in its jurisdictions.