Mumbai: Western Railway said it might be considering allowing two-class and first-class ticket holders to travel by air conditioning by paying differences in rates.
The air conditioning service in CR and WR has seen a bad response with most of the service, runs almost empty.
The General Train Manager of Barat Alok Kansal said, “We can consider allowing other class passengers to travel by local train air-conditioned by paying differences [in cost].” This will be collected by ticket testers deployed on the AC train to punish unauthorized passengers.
Ticket checkers have the power to charge extra fees from those who travel far from being permitted or enhanced to higher classes.
The passenger welcomed this step said it would be a win-win situation.
Resident of Borivli Avinash Vyas said, “A lot of time, I feel like riding an air-conditioned train while waiting for a non-air-conditioned train.
But I can’t even even though I want to pay a difference in the cost.” The train board tends to revise the tariff for Ticked travel tickets on the air-conditioned local train to attract passengers as most travel, especially during non-peak hours, have very few commuters.
New rates will be based on tariff structures prepared by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority for the Metro corridor.
A senior train official said the season ticket rate would be, however, it remained unchanged because the authorities felt they were very subsidized.