Railways awaits PM's nod for hike in passenger fare

I will discuss the fare issue with the Prime Minister. A decision will be taken after discussion with the PM," Gowda said.

Seeking a significant rise in gross budgetary support, Gowda, along with Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha and senior railway officials, met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday ahead of the budget to be presented in the first week of July.

The national transporter is facing a loss of about Rs 900 crore per month in passenger segment.

The Indian Railways had on May 16 announced a hike in both passenger fares and freight rates by 14.2 percent and 6.5 percent respectively. However, the hike notification was put on hold later in the day leaving the decision to the Railway Minister.

When asked about the outcomes of his meeting with Jaitley, Gowda said, “It was a fruitful meeting with the Finance Minister who suggested some measures which will be reflected in the rail budget. We have sought more budgetary support. There is a need for more funds for national projects.”

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