Railways to charge extra during festive seasons?

Mumbai Jan 17: In a move to ensure that Railways get more revenue a panel set up to review Flexi fare system in Indian Railways has suggested some changes.

Sources said that "passengers may be forced to pay extra for berths of their choice similar to flyers pay more for front-row seats".

The committee has also suggested that "an increase in fares of trains which have convenient timings and are more popular on a particular route".

The report has also includes a suggestion of "increasing fares during festive seasons, and reducing them during lean months.passengers be offered discounts on trains reaching destinations at inconvenient times, for example between 0000 and 0400 hours and 1300 and 1700 hours".

The committee consists of some Railway Board officials, NITI Aayog adviser Ravinder Goyal, executive director (revenue management) of Air India Meenakshi Malik, professor S Sriram, and Iti Mani, Director, Revenue, Le Meridien, Delhi.

The railway board would soon take a final call on the report submitted.