Title - Railways to hike fares of Kolkata Metro after a decade

Railways is finally set to make an upward revision of the decade-old fare structure of Kolkata Metro, which accounts for the worst operating ratio among all the 17 railway zones.

“Kolkata Metro is facing a huge revenue deficit. The matter of fare hike is under our active consideration,” Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, minister of state for railways, said.

Chowdhury suggested a decision in this effect could be taken much before the next railway budget. “The Metro fare hike has become an urgent necessity now and I do not think even commuters would mind,” he added.

The fare-structure of Kolkata Metro, one of the 17 zone of the Indian Railways, has not been revised since 2002. With a minimum fare of Rs 4, Kolkata Metro currently spends over Rs 300 to earn Rs 100. In 2010-11, Kolkata Metro had an operating ratio of 248. The revenue gap has only widened following extension of the metro connectivity from Tollygunge to Garia in southern part of the city.

Despite this, the fare of Kolkata Metro - country's first underground train system and also the only one run by ministry of railways -- was left untouched in January, 2013 when Pawan Kumar Bansal had announced an increase in railway fares for passengers across categories citing poor finances of the railways.

However, soon after Kolkata Metro management on its own formerly sought revision of fares. A committee was formed at the ministry level to review the fares of Kolkata metro, which understood to have submitted its report to the ministry.

Kolkata Metro, which started operation in 1984, currently connects the north and southern part of the city with about 25 km-long rail route.