Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 13:59:22
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.60 1.80%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,454.10 0.93%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.55 2.40%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 430.95 0.69%
  1. State Bank Of India share price
  2. 755.20 2.88%
Business News/ News / India/  In pandemic-hit 2020-21, Railways earned over 500 cr from Tatkal, premium Tatkal tickets
BackBack

In pandemic-hit 2020-21, Railways earned over ₹500 cr from Tatkal, premium Tatkal tickets

The Indian Railways in a reply to an RTI said it has earned ₹403 crore from tatkal ticket fares, an additional ₹119 crore from premium tatkal ticket fares, and ₹511 crore from dynamic changes in 2020-21

The Indian Railways had earned ₹1,313 crore from dynamic fares, ₹1,669 from tatkal tickets and ₹603 crore from premium tatkal tickets in 2019-20  (Photo: Mint)Premium
The Indian Railways had earned 1,313 crore from dynamic fares, 1,669 from tatkal tickets and 603 crore from premium tatkal tickets in 2019-20  (Photo: Mint)

NEW DELHI : The Indian Railways in a reply to an RTI said it has earned 403 crore from tatkal ticket fares, an additional 119 crore from premium tatkal ticket fares, and 511 crore from dynamic changes in the financial year 2020-21. 

The national transporter earned 1,033 crore from these three categories the financial year 2020-21 despite much of its normal operations remaining suspended through most of the year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

In a written reply to an RTI filed by Madhya Pradesh-based Chandra Shekhar Gaur, the national transported said that it earned 240 crore from dynamic fares, 353 crore from tatkal tickets and 89 crore from premium tatkal tickets in the financial year 2021-22 till September, news agency PTI reported.

The transporter had earned 1,313 crore from dynamic fares, 1,669 from tatkal tickets and 603 crore from premium tatkal tickets in 2019-20, when there were no restrictions in train operations.

Earlier, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways had said that the charges levied on tatkal tickets are “a little unjustifiable" and put a huge burden particularly on those passengers who are forced to travel in urgency to meet their kith and kin or so for a very short distance also. The House panel wanted the railways' ministry to devise measures for a pro rata fare for distance travelled.

Tatkal ticket charges have been fixed as a percentage of fare at the rate of 10% of basic fare for the second class and 30% of basic fare for all other classes subject to minimum and maximum. Whereas the premium scheme, introduced in 2014 in some trains, 50% of tatkal quota tickets are sold using the dynamic fare system

The Parliamentary Standing Committee committee also stated that the dynamic pricing appeared to be "discriminatory" given the facts that fares of Rajdhanis, Shatabdis and Durontos are already higher as compared to other mail and express trains.  The committee further said they are almost at par and at some instances higher than those of budget airlines.

The railways' ministry data also shows that over 52 lakh passenger who were on waitlist after finalisation of seat reservation charts could not travel by trains in the first six months of the current fiscal.

Around 32,50,039 PNRs, against which 52,96,741 passengers had bookings, were auto-cancelled as they were in wait status after preparation of the charts till September of this financial year.

The Indian Railways did not introduce any new train service during Covid-hit 2020-21, though it had launched as many as 144 new trains in 2019-20 and 266 in 2018-2019, 170 in 2017-2018 and 223 train services in 2016-2017.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 02 Jan 2022, 06:06 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App