NEW DELHI: Passengers may have to shell out more money for train tickets in near future with Indian Railways mulling various options, including levying safety cess on tickets, to raise monetary resources for safety upgradation.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu Tuesday said that safety of passengers is an important issue and passengers will also have to give some support for raising funds for Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh.
"We are considering all options as we have to raise safety funds. People will also have to give some support for this,"said Prabhu.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced Rs 100,000 crore for next five years for rail safety fund but railway ministry will only get 25 percent funding from the finance ministry while it has to raise 75 percent on its own.
Of the Rs 20,000 crore annually, Rs 5000 crore will come from finance ministry, Rs 10,000 crore from Central Road Fund, a cess imposed on diesel and petrol for safety related works, while Rs 5000 crore railways has to raise.
Railways in last six months has seen increase in derailments and the money is supposed to be spent on upgradation of tracks, signalling and bridges among others.
Railways has been focusing on increasing its revenue from various resources. There has been no increase in passenger fare since NDA government came to power. A flexi fare system was introduced in premium train in September 2016 which is expected to increase revenue by Rs 500 crore annually.