Indian Railways/IRCTC Update: There is good news for those traveling by train. The government may soon cut flexi/dynamic fare and tatkal ticket charge.
Indian Railways/IRCTC Update: There is good news for those traveling by train. Government soon Flexi / Dynamic rental (Dynamic Fare and instant ticket charge (Tatkal Ticket Charge) can cut in. A committee has recommended, brokers regarding “immediate plan” to a committee of Parliament Railway Referring to the complaints of possible involvement of the Government of India,
it has been recommended to the Government to put in place a strong monitoring mechanism to check the misuse of this scheme. According to the report, the committee has asked the government to take measures to fix the charges on Tatkal tickets according to the distance of travel and flexi/dynamic fare ( Dynamic Fare/Flexi Fair).Asked to decide judiciously on the pricing of Rs.
It said that the Tatkal scheme was started to provide reservation to those passengers in the railways, who have to travel at short notice. According to the report, the committee appreciated the scheme and expressed its apprehension about the possible involvement of touts whose unscrupulous activities may make it difficult for genuine travelers to get the benefits of this scheme. The Committee is of the opinion that Railways should always be alert to the dangers posed by these elements in both physical and cyber spheres.
The committee recommended to the ministry to put in place a strong monitoring mechanism to check its misuse and to prevent the involvement of unscrupulous elements in it. Tatkal tickets are booked on ‘first come, first served’ basis on payment of premium charges. At present it is booked one day before Rail Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and Catering and Tourism Corporation of India (IRCTC) website at 10 am for AC class and at 11 am for non AC class.
According to the report, the committee also said that the fee charged on Tatkal tickets is a bit unreasonable and is putting a heavy burden especially on the passengers who are financially weak. At the same time, there is a compulsion to travel to meet her family members in urgency or even for a very short distance.
The committee said that the ministry should take measures for pro-rata fare according to the distance traveled. It also said that the ministry should review the flexi/dynamic fare mechanism in the larger public interest and decide the pricing of fares in a judicious manner based on a balanced and equitable level. As per the report, the committee observed that flexi/dynamic pricing appears to be somewhat discriminatory considering the facts, as the fares of Rajdhani,
Shatabdi and Duronto are already higher as compared to other mail and express trains. It is at par or in some cases even higher than budget airlines. The committee is of the view that with the increased fare structure, the rail users with modest income or economically disadvantaged will not be able to afford this fare and will not opt for these trains.
