CHENNAI: More than 90% of trains may have resumed with full patronage, but railways continue to run them as specials, unreserved express specials and festival specials, charging high and varying fares without offering onboard amenities.
Concessions for senior citizens have been suspended, blankets and pillows are not given and curtains removed from all AC classes but charges have not been reduced. Passengers say it is unfair to keep fares high under different classifications when reservation status is at waitlist and RAC for weekends and holidays.
On Friday, Southern Railway announced around 11 unreserved specials with fares equivalent to express trains. This means people will have to spend double the money they had been spending for tickets on passenger trains to travel by these unreserved express specials between interior towns.
