COIMBATORE: The Southern Railway has increased the base fare of regular services operated on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway section between Mettupalayam and Udhagamandalam (Ooty) by five per cent with effect from Saturday, citing rising operational and maintenance costs.
According to a Daily Thanthi report, the hill trains currently run under three categories: The daily regular service with eight trips, special services operated during summer holidays, festivals and weekends, and chartered special trains where the entire rake can be hired. Under the revised fares, the base ticket rates for regular services have been increased by five per cent across the Mettupalayam–Coonoor, Coonoor–Udhagamandalam and Mettupalayam–Udhagamandalam sectors.
Earlier, the fare for travel between Mettupalayam and Coonoor was Rs 500 for first class and Rs 250 for second class. Between Coonoor and Udhagamandalam, it was Rs 290 for first class and Rs 150 for second class, while for the full stretch from Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam, the fare stood at Rs 1,000 for first class and Rs 550 for second class.
In a release, the Southern Railway stated that the increase was necessitated due to a significant rise in operating expenses, maintenance costs and staff wages, and was aimed at offsetting revenue losses. The revision applies only to the basic fare of regular trains, with no change in reservation charges or other additional fees. Tickets already issued at the old fare will remain valid. There is no change in fares for special trains and chartered special services.
The sudden hike in ticket prices has drawn criticism from middle-class tourists, who expressed disappointment over the increase.