New Delhi: Indian Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal announced the hiking train fares with effect from January 21 midnight.
 The new fares imply a 2 paise per kilometre increase in second class ordinary suburban tariffs.
The fare for second class non sub-urban travel has gone up by 3 paise per kilometre and that of sleeper class has been hiked by 6 paise per kilometre. Travelling in Air conditioned (AC) chair car and sleeper class will now be costlier by 10 paise per kilometre.
The hike in  AC III tier is 10 paise per kilometre and first class is 3 paise per kilometre while AC 2 tier is 6 paise per kilometre.
Bansal said he would focus on improving services and safety from the Rs.6,000 crore expected to be earned from the fare hike.
“There has been no revision of basic fares for 10 years, and this has had a telling effect on railway finances,” Bansal told reporters.
“It is imperative to go for a moderate fare hike immediately.”
He said there will be no fare increase when the Annual railway budget is presented in February.
Bansal said besides a slowdown in the economy, a likely reduction in the railway’s plan size to Rs.51,000 crore from the estimated Rs.60,000 crore, and lower freight targets by 13 million tonnes forced the fare hike.
But common people found the argument difficult to buy.
Egg vendor Prakash Kumar Yadav wondered how he would be able to afford the hike.
“I earn an average of Rs.5,000 per month and out of that, Rs.3,000 goes on food. Out of the rest, I have to account for clothes, emergency situations and travel. So in this tight budget, how can one afford the hike,” he told IANS.
Auto-rickshaw driver Satrohan Singh told IANS: “I have to travel by train often. The hike will affect my pocket a lot. And it is not like I have an option to cut my travels. When there is work, I have to travel home. But with prices increasing all around, I’m not surprised that train tickets have become more expensive.”
Opposition parties  have condemned the hike.
“The government goes on increasing the price but it does not increase amenities and safety of railways. It is absolutely unacceptable and atrocious,” said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.
“The railway fare hike is anti-poor people. It is anti-common people,” Former Railway Minister Mukul Roy said. “From Thursday 5 p.m., Trinamool will start protests all over the country,” he said.
But Congress defended the hike; Â Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said: “Sometimes, it is inevitable to take tough decisions.”
The railway ministry came to the Congress after 17 years when Bansal took charge in October after Trinamool left the ruling United Progressive Alliance.
—updated on 3: AM , 10/01/2013