Platform ticket to be hiked to Rs 15 at Chennai Central

This would be second major hike in platform ticket price since 2015 when Railway authorities had doubled the platform ticket price to Rs 10 and delegated powers to divisions to increase platform ticket cost to manage footfall during specific circumstances.

The experimental hike would be in force for three months till June 30, official sources said.

Railway authorities have reasoned that the hike would decongest platforms and make it convenient for movement of originating and terminating passengers at the station. The Central station receives an average footfall of 1,10,000 people per day, and sells 7,000 to 10,000 platform ticket daily.

“The hike has been announced based on the observations made during the last 12 months. We have noticed that the footfall increases every summer owing to the rise in traffic during vacation. The number of non-travellers visiting the station also increases during the period,” a senior railway official said.

“Instead of three or four people accompanying a traveller as they are doing now, one or two might choose to remain in the car or outside the paid area. Even if it discourages one person per traveller from entering the platform it will reduce the congestion on platform considerably and ease mobility for travellers trying to board the train,” the official reasoned.

A ballpark estimate by officials suggests that of the lakh or so people visiting the terminal, between 35,000 and 45,000 are people starting their journey from Central and 45,000-60,000 people are arriving passengers.

“The April-June vacation period is the busiest times of the year as we operate maximum trains during then. Unlike the special trains which are operated for a few days on the eve of festivals, summer requires operation of special trains for nearly three months. So, with the number of travellers increasing, people accompanying them also increases. Hence, the hike in platform ticket to reduce footfall,” the officer explained.