Protests erupt over charging Rs 50 for platform tickets

Kannur: No free Wi-Fi, no purified water, no proper roof but the railway is charging Rs 50 for platform tickets. The hefty charges are being taken from people who are at the station for only a few minutes. 

Before lockdown, the platform ticket charge was just Rs 10. The sudden hike in the price of the ticket has led to protests. The new rate has been introduced to reduce rush in railway stations. 

Issuing platform tickets had been stopped due to Covid and resumed after a break of one year. Stations ranging from small ones to A Class stations are charging Rs 50 for platform tickets. The amount is to be paid for 2 hours. Some stations even charge extra money for using latrines.

The rates of the South railway platform tickets were first increased in May 2012. The rates went from Rs 3 to Rs 5. The travel rates were increased in 2014. 

On April 1, 2015, the rate of platform tickets was increased to Rs 10. The minimum ticket rate of the reserved train is Rs 30. 

Rates must be reduced

The Malabar Rail Users Forum officers demanded that the hike in platform tickets must be reconsidered. MTPF Chairman Kareem Manasa, Convenor Faisal Chellath, and Joint convenor PKC Faisal said that the hike from Rs 10 to Rs 50 is a bit harsh. Malabar Rail Users Association General Secretary K P Ramakrishnan said that levying such hefty charges for platform tickets must be avoided for the ones who come to the station to drop off people and stay for only a few minutes.