Soon, like flight fares, train fares to include 'user charge' at redeveloped, high footfall stations

The Indian Railways on Thursday said it will levy ''user fees'' as part of train fares for the stations that have been redeveloped and those with high footfall to generate revenue to provide better facilities for passengers.

"The charges will be nominal and will be applicable in about 10-15% of the 7,000 railway stations across the country," Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav told reporters here.

The user fee similar to that is being collected at some of private airports.

The public transporter will soon issue a notification in this regard, he said adding that to provide world-class service the railways have to mobilise funds.

Though the railways will not collect user charge from all the stations, it will levy charges where the footfall of passengers will increase over the next five years.

Indian Railways has plans to redevelop 50 railway stations and monetize its land. It will lease the land out for 60 years for commercial purposes.

The Indian Railway Station Redevelopment Corporation Ltd (IRSDC) the implementing agency of the station redevelopment project earlier handed over two railway stations -- Habibganj in Madhya Pradesh and Gandhinagar in Gujarat -- to private parties for development under public-private partnership plans.

Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said that since railways allow the private firms to operate passengers trains, this will help to increase competition.