* It amounts to reducing the quality of travel in trains. IR has conveniently forgotten the SMB experiment. Huge fund (may be to the tune of Rs. 100 crores) was wasted in providing SMBs and subsequently removing them.
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* There are many ways to increase cost-
(1) Direct Increase the basic fares (similar to Rs 1 Re rise for a 100gm...
more... biscuit pack)-
-HONEST AND TRANSPARENT WAY- which pax normally know well before booking ticket IR has probably forgotten.
(2) Indirect increase- (adding delivery charge, or adding octroi over the normal price or making availability not so ready
Disallowing/putting restrictions onward journey/break-journey/circular-journey tickets,
Disallowing separate Seats for subsidised travel of children,
changing cancellation rules/charges,
making trains SF by just stretching to 55kmph in Time table etc
-SHREWD WAY- which pinches during ticket purchase and not so on announcement. IR have already mastered this art since decades
(3) Direct reduction in the quality of travel thru (Similar to reduce weight from 100gm to 90gm)
introuction SMB i.e. cramping more pax in same space,
permitting RAC/WL paxs to crowd the coach, etc
-SHREWD WAY- which does not pinches during ticket purchase/ announcement, but pinch during travel. IR have already mastered this art since decades
(4) Indirect reduction in the quality of travel by (Similar to Using poor quality raw material for biscuits)
reducing number of toilets,
removing pantry car,
removing curtains from ACIIIetc
-SHREWD WAY OF FULFILLIN HIDDEN AGENDA- which does not pinches during ticket purchase/ announcement, but adds to misery during travel. IR have started this art since decades
(5) Exorbitant increase in tickets with aim of profiteering from targeted section of rail travellers. This reminds of a 20-25 yr old situation situation when Maruti-800 the only hot car model for Middle class was sold at about 2 Lac Rs Showroom price (+accs+Roadtax etc) where as manufacturing cost was only about 70000 Rs.
Large scale introduction of Flexifare/ Suvidha/ PT/ Special fare Tatkal in spite of these trains running at poor occupancy and regular trains on the route running with W/L running into several hundreds!!
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* By resorting to more and more indirect ways to make train travel inconvenient/ costlier, IR is gradually driving away its blue chip paxs (high fare/revenue/profit giving) to aeroplanes, Luxury buses & Cars.
