Rail ticket prices hike: Modi government leaving no opportunity to loot public, says Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (December 22, 2025) said the Modi government is leaving no opportunity to loot the common people, claiming that it has raised rail fare for the second time in one year ahead of the Union budget. The Railway Ministry on Sunday (December 21, 2025) announced a hike in train ticket prices by 1 paise per km for ordinary class beyond a journey of 215 km, and 2 paise per km for non-AC classes of mail/express trains and AC classes of all trains. In a post on X, Mr. Kharge said the railways has faced a sad saga of neglect and apathy under the Modi government. "The Modi Government is leaving no opportunity to loot the common public. Second railway fare hike in a single year, days before the Union Budget.” "With no separate Railway Budget, accountability has vanished," Mr. Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X. He said the railways is ailing while the Modi government is busy in fake publicity rather than concrete delivery. "Safety derails, deaths mount: 2.18 lakh deaths in railway accidents (NCRB Report: between 2014-23). Railways are no longer safe, they're a gamble with life. "KAVACH languishes: Five years of hype, zero seriousness. Kavach covers less than 3% routes and less than 1% locomotives - a safety system that exists only in lofty speeches," he said in his post. Referring to vacancies in the railways, he said, "Jobs vacant, future stalled: 3.16 lakh vacancies rot the system. Youth await permanent posting, contractual posting on rise. (Latest available annual report on pay and allowances)" Alleging that training and HRD funds are neglected, the Congress chief claimed that only 42% were utilised in 2023-24 and 68% were utilised till December 2024-25. Loco pilots denied basic breaks, he claimed, citing a Parliamentary Standing Committee Report. "Publicity over performance: Under Amrit Bharat, ONLY 1 station has been upgraded against a target of 453 - a cruel joke on development. (Parliamentary Standing Committee Report)” "Stunts galore, substance missing: While reels are shot and ATMs in rail promoted, Railways bleed - ₹2,604 crore losses (CAG, 2024), senior citizen concessions scrapped, extracting ₹8,913 crore from the elderly," he also said. Citing red flags for speed, Mr. Kharge said, Vande Bharat runs at 76 kmph against a tall claim of 160 kmph. "Under Modi Government, Railways face a sad saga of neglect, apathy and fake hype," the Congress president alleged. The new rates will be effective from December 26, 2025, the Railway Ministry said. "There is no increase in the monthly season tickets of suburban trains and up to 215 km travel in ordinary class of other trains," officials said, adding that the increase in fare will fetch ₹600 crore to the railways till March 31, 2026. According to the Railway Ministry, the previous fare hike in July 2025 has generated ₹700 crore in revenue till date. Published - December 22, 2025 04:31 pm IST

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