Ticket fare increase from today
The Ceylon Government Railway (CGR) has increased train fares with effect from today (01) to offset the exorbitant costs incurred as a result of the current fuel price hike.
According to the new fare revision the minimum fare for a 3rd Class tickets will be Rs.10/, while Second Class and First Class passengers will have to pay Rs.20 and Rs. 40, as the minimum fare.
Minister of Transport Dallas Alahapperuma said that the Railway Department uses nearly 30 million litres of diesel to run its trains and has to spend an additional Rs.900 million due to the current diesel price hike. The Treasury provides nearly Rs.7.5 billion to the Railway and the allocation has to be increased up to Rs.8.5 billion in view of the diesel price increase.
Railway General Manager Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan said that the fare revision should have been done five years prior to this to revive the CGR. The Government has not increased fares for the last three years.
Mr. Gunaruwan explained however that the train fare hike would still not be sufficient even to cover the additional burden caused by the recent fuel price hike.
The price of petrol has gone up by 34 percent while the price of diesel, largely used for public transport, has gone up by 47 percent so far this year.
Ministry sources said that the price hike is inevitable in view of the rising global oil prices with a barrel of now costing over 130 U.S. dollars.
Source: News
Tags: exorbitant costs, fare hike, fuel price hike, global oil prices, passengers, petrol, public transport, railway department, train fare, train fares
