CHENNAI: The Southern Railway is planning to launch the ‘give it up scheme’ — wherein passengers can opt to give up the subsidy on train tickets — by August 31, according to a circular issued by chief commercial manager K Sankarasubramanian on Friday.
The Railways Ministry had announced the launch of this scheme few days back, as part of the 100-day plan to give impetus to big-ticket reforms.
Data says the railways, on an average, recovers only 53 per cent of actual expenditure incurred on passenger transport. Fares without subsidy will cost an additional 47 per cent.
Following the circular, commercial officials of six divisions in Tamil Nadu have been ordered to create awareness about the scheme through media, at railway stations and in trains.
“The base fare for a sleeper class ticket between Chennai and Madurai will be `380 to `390 without subsidy; current fare is `265. Similarly, unreserved superfast ticket fare between Chennai and Katpadi will increase roughly by `35 per ticket. The fare list without subsidy will be displayed at all stations in another few weeks,’ said a senior railway official.
The IRCTC portal is being upgraded so that passengers have an option to book tickets without subsidy.
In September 2016, railways introduced a system for senior citizens to voluntarily give up their concession, the success of which, officials say, prompted them to introduce the giving up of subsidy scheme.