Airfares “cheaper” than AC1, AC2 train fares, says Railway zone, allows official to fly

Airfares to Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata from their centre are “cheaper” than AC1 and AC2 train fares, the Hubli, Karnataka headquartered South Indian Railways has approved its officials request to fly to these destinations instead.

The General Manager of South Western Railway observed this when he got officials to request to fly to destinations lie Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata as ‘It would take 3 days to travel for 2-hour meeting.

The general manager has approved the approval which states that it would also ‘increase productivity’ as the travel time between any location in the railway zone to these tier 1 cities is ’more than 14 hours.’

Also, It can be seen that flight fares of private airlines on mostly traveled routes are cheaper than that of 1AC/2AC train fares,” the Deputy General Manager of the zone has proposed in a letter to the GM seeking his approval for air-travel for senior officials on July 31.

The meetings at railway board are arranged at short notice and permitting air travel would be more convenient and time saving for officers from headquarters or division to Delhi.

When compared to the cost and time taken for travel by premium trains, airfare became a cheaper and preferable mode of travel, the auditor had said in its report.

Since all this happened, the railways have been taking measures to cut down the number of trains where dynamic prices were applicable. After the reply in Lok Sabha by the minister, this scheme is applicable in 141 trains.