Railway Passengers Demand Equal Fare For All Trains

People travelling on railway's Lahore-Narowal-Sialkot section have demanded rationalization of the fare by charging equal fare for same classes of different trains.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Dec, 2018 ) :People travelling on railway's Lahore-Narowal-Sialkot section have demanded rationalization of the fare by charging equal fare for same classes of different trains.

While talking to APP here on Friday, Daily Passengers Association (DPA) Chairman Hafiz A Qayyum said that recently the railways increased the fare of 40 trains including 9-Up-10-Down Allama Iqbal Express, which runs between Lahore and Sialkot via Narowal in the name of rationalization.

"Without any additional facility, increase in fare is not rationalization," he added.

He said that Allama Iqbal Express and other trains on the section have same facilities and same classes but there was a big difference in the fare of the trains.

Citing an example, he said that a passenger had to pay Rs111 from Narowal to Badomalhi for Allama Iqbal Express while the fare for other trains is just Rs25. Likewise, he added fare from Shahdara Bagh to Narang was Rs40 for economy class on other trains, but the railways charged Rs 110 for the same distance and the same class without any additional facility on Allama Iqbal Express.

Malik Sajid Ali Attique, another passenger representative, said that already the railways was charging extra amount from passengers, adding that the fare should be determined on the basis of travel per kilometre and the difference of fare should be made according to the class of a coach.

He said that another thing which was noticeable that the railways was earlier charging Rs 20 per ticket in the name of seat allotment, whereas at the said section there was no need for seat charges.

The passengers demanded the minister take notice of the matter as it was not only affecting the poor people but it was also adversely affecting the railways by reducing the revenue.

The passengers said that a minimum fare on the section should be reduced and the fare should be equal for all trains.

When this scribe tried to contact Chief Commercial Manager Railways to take his version on the issue, he did not attend the call.