Train fare hike shortly?

BANGALORE: While accepting that the increase in passenger train tariff is on the cards, the Union Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi informed that no final decision has been taken yet.Addressing a press conference after holding a review meeting with Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, MPs, on various railway infrastructure projects being taken up in the state, Trivedi said, “There is a great pressure from various agencies including Railway Board, Planning Commission, Standing Committee on Railways to hike passenger tariff .” He hinted that it would be done shortly.Maintaining that increasing the passenger tariff is not the only answer to generate revenue and mobilise resources, he called upon the Indian Railways authorities to think out of box on the issue. Railways can explore avenues of power generation and meet its own energy requirement, he said.He said that the Indian Railways can also generate resources through building world-class railway stations outside the existing stations, which would consist among other facilities including budget hotels, multiplexes, and other infrastructure. Stating that the availability of funds are the main constraints for the Railways to go for such world-class stations,  Trivedi said, “We are looking towards investments from abroad on PPP model.”