ROURKELA: With resumption of train services following the Covid-19 lockdown, the Indian Railways is being accused of fleecing poor passengers by converting passenger trains into express trains to charge more fare without augmenting average speed or providing facilities on par with express trains. This has hit tribal and other poor segments who are mostly using these trains.
Ironically, only technical definition was changed for conversion of passenger trains into mail express trains and the move might be linked to augment passenger revenue. Reliable sources informed that under the South Eastern Railway (SER) alone, a total of 36 passenger trains (18 pairs) were upgraded to mail express trains including four originating or running through Rourkela.
