Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 2: The hike in platform tickets has irked passengers at the city railway station who flayed the ministry of railways for the two-fold hike in the ticket prices.
The platform ticket price has been increased to Rs 10 from Rs 5 effective April 1 in all 17 zonal railways as per a decision of the Railway Board March 16.
Notably, around 4,000 people buy platform tickets every day at Bhubaneswar station which works out to `20,000 a day. According to official figures, the city station has a monthly passenger influx of over 7 lakh.
Passengers flayed the railways for revising platform ticket prices which is aimed at regulating rush at crowded platforms during specific occasions such as festivals and rallies. In fact, many believed passengers can now become ‘choosey’ to buy a ticket if they want to see off their relatives for a brief period at the station.
“If a family of five persons has to see off their relatives at railway station then they have to shell out Rs 50 against Rs 25. Had it been Rs 1 or 2 hike, people would have not resented but a two-fold hike really matters,” Biswajit Sundar Ray, a student remarked.
Rajiv Srikant, another passenger, who alighted from Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express, said passenger seldom buy platform tickets because of long queues at the counters and the hike would now prevent them from buying tickets.
“Ticket counters are often overcrowded discouraging people from purchasing platform tickets as they may not spend much time to receive/see off their relatives,” he added.
However, some other people claimed that as the ticket price had been doubled, errant elements would not crowd platforms unnecessarily.
When asked, east coast railway (ECoR) spokesperson JP Mishra said the hike would prevent misuse and it’s a step towards access control. “The move would help to ensure better security and the premises can be kept clean,” he added.