BENGALURU: In a major relief to season ticket holders commuting between Bengaluru and Mysuru, the South Western Railway (SWR) announced on Thursday night that superfast supplementary surcharge will not be applicable from Friday in four pairs of trains which were recently converted as super fast trains.
Nearly 15,000 people commute daily from Ramanagara, Channapatna and Mysuru to Bengaluru for work and they stand to benefit as they buy the subsidised monthly season tickets. They include garment workers, government officials and business people.
Beginning Independence Day, all ticket holders, including season ticket holders, had to purchase a superfast (supplementary) surcharge ticket of `15 on all these trains. The trains include Malgudi Express between Yesvantpur and Mysuru, Mysuru-Mayiladathurai Express, Mysuru Sainagar Shirdi Weekly Express and Bengaluru-Karwar/Kannur Express (16517/16523) and Karwar/Kannur -Bengaluru Express.
The issue was flagged off by a railway enthusiast S Yogendra of Mysore Grahakara Parishad who pointed out that this went against a Railway Board ruling in that connection. “I have already written about it to the Public Grievances portal of the Government of India but am yet to get any response,” he told Express.
“These season ticket holders were paying an additional Rs 30 daily, Rs 15 each way, since August 15,” he said. An additional ticket was purchased at the counter or the money paid by cash to the TTE on board.
The Railway Board directive on August 9, 2006, to all general managers of Railway Zones in the country said superfast surcharge cannot be levied on passengers travelling within a distance of 325 kms.