Any decision to impose levy on train tickets anti-people: TMC

The Trinamool Congress TMC on Saturday described as anti-people the Railways move to levy station development fee on train tickets for long-distance travel.TMC Chief Whip in Rajya Sabha Sukhendu Sekhar Roy told reporters here any such move would be fiercely protested by the TMC.Any such decision will hit the common man in a hard way.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday described as anti-people the Railways' move to levy station development fee on train tickets for long-distance travel.

TMC Chief Whip in Rajya Sabha Sukhendu Sekhar Roy told reporters here any such move would be fiercely protested by the TMC.

''Any such decision will hit the common man in a hard way. It is unprecedented and anti-people,'' the veteran Trinamool leader said.

Long-distance train travel is likely to cost more for passengers boarding or alighting at redeveloped stations as the Railways is planning to levy a station development fee ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 50 depending on the class of travel.

Officials said the fee is likely to be added to the train tickets during booking. The fee will be levied only after such stations become operational.

The user fee would be in three categories. Rs 50 for all AC classes, Rs 25 for sleeper class, and Rs 10 for the unreserved class. No station development fee will be charged for suburban train journeys, according to a circular issued by the Railway Board.