Odisha: Railways withdraws Mela Surcharge

  • | Saturday | 15th December, 2018

BHUBANESWAR: Indian Railways has discontinued ‘Mela Surcharge’ with effect from December 11. This was also imposed on passengers during Rath Yatra festival in Puri this year.East Coast Railway (ECoR) sources said it imposes this surcharge during Rath Yatra every year. It was levied in respect of tickets costing more than Rs 15.Official sources said this surcharge was levied on outward tickets issued from Mela stations like Puri during Rath Yatra. This surcharge is an extra charge levied on passengers during major fairs in the country.The Railway Board has taken this decision ahead of the Kumbh Mela to be held next month in Allahabad. It is being done as a goodwill gesture for Mela devotees,” said a senior ECoR official.

BHUBANESWAR: Indian Railways has discontinued ‘Mela Surcharge’ with effect from December 11. This surcharge is an extra charge levied on passengers during major fairs in the country.The Railway Board has taken this decision ahead of the Kumbh Mela to be held next month in Allahabad. This was also imposed on passengers during Rath Yatra festival in Puri this year.East Coast Railway (ECoR) sources said it imposes this surcharge during Rath Yatra every year. But it will not charge this tax from this year. It had collected around Rs 30 lakh in the form of surcharge from this festival alone.The Railway Board’s commercial circular issued during Rath Yatra this year had collected this surcharge from passengers between July 13 and July 24. It was levied in respect of tickets costing more than Rs 15.Official sources said this surcharge was levied on outward tickets issued from Mela stations like Puri during Rath Yatra. Return tickets to Mela station were also taxed. But this surcharge was not levied on single journey tickets issued from various stations on the Indian Railways to the Mela stations.It had charged Rs 5 and Rs 20 for second class and sleeper class tickets booked in ordinary and mail or express trains. The ECoR had collected Rs 40 for AC Chair Car and AC-3 tier tickets, while it had charged Rs 60 and Rs 80 for AC-2 tier and AC first class tickets.“Though we will lose around Rs 30 lakh during the Rath Yatra festival, people get benefit out of it. It is being done as a goodwill gesture for Mela devotees,” said a senior ECoR official.

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