MADURAI: The recent hike in railway fares announced by the Indian Railways has imposed an additional financial burden on rail passengers. The fare increase has severely affected long-distance passengers, daily commuters, workers, students, farmers, senior citizens, and middle-class families.

Railway travel is not a luxury, but a basic necessity for millions of citizens, and any increase in fares without ensuring corresponding improvement in services is unjust and unacceptable, A Sankar, honorary secretary, Empower India, Consumer Advocacy Group, said on Tuesday. Currently, passengers continue to face unresolved issues such as frequent train delays, unhygienic coaches and toilets, poor-quality food, lack of effective control over private catering services, and an inefficient grievance redressal mechanism.

Despite repeated complaints, passengers often do not receive timely or satisfactory responses. Implementing a fare hike without addressing these basic deficiencies clearly goes against the interests of consumers and passengers.

Citing these, he urged the railway authorities and the union government to prioritise passenger welfare by improving essential facilities before imposing any fare increase. Fare hikes should be exempted for ordinary and short-distance passengers, and existing concessions for senior citizens, students, and persons with disabilities must be continued without dilution.

Cleanliness, safety, punctuality and passenger amenities must be significantly upgraded, and catering and pantry services should be brought under strict government control to ensure quality and fair pricing.

“Service improvement must precede fare revision” is the legitimate and reasonable expectation of the public. Hence, he appealed to the railways to reconsider and withdraw the fare hike in the larger public interest.