Poor man’s train fare may go up as Garib Rath bedroll likely to cost more

Bedroll kits could soon be included in the ticket price of the poor man’s no frills AC train, the Garib Rath Express, but it could cost significantly more with the railways considering a hike from the ₹25 fixed over a decade ago, senior officials said.

The review, in keeping with the steep rise in cost of maintaining the linen, is likely to be applicable in other trains as well, the officials said. Like the Garib Rath trains, prices for bedrolls have not been revised in the last decade for the other trains, they added.

The rethink follows a note from the office of the deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), asking why a revision had not taken place for the “poor man’s chariot” and recommending that the cost of the bedroll be included in the train fare.

“We have received the note and we are reviewing it. Prices cannot remain the same forever. There will be a review of the bedroll charges of the Garib Rath trains and they will likely be included in the price of the ticket in the next six months,” a senior official said.

Presently, the railways supplies bedroll kits in all its air-conditioned coaches and their prices, around ₹25, are included in the ticket fare. However, this does not hold for Garib Rath and Duronto trains where passengers across classes can book the kits while purchasing their tickets at the same rate.

Senior officials told PTI that there has been no revision of prices of the kits despite the rise in cost of procuring and maintaining them. In the letter, the deputy CAG has said the railways should increase the cost of the bedrolls as it has not been reviewed in the last 12 years.

NEWDELHI: