The Railway Board is planning to levy a Hydrocarbon Surcharge (HCS) or diesel tax ranging between Rs 10 to Rs 50 on passengers for travelling on trains that are hauled by diesel locomotives. This surcharge will be applied to trains running for more than half their running distance using diesel locomotives. This is being done to offset the impact of fuel imports, that have been severely impacted by the rising cost of oil.
With effect from April 15, 2022, the surcharge will be automatically added to the ticket price at the time of booking the ticket, as is done in the case of booking of flight tickets. The fee will be charged under three categories, Rs 50 for AC Class, Rs 25 for Sleeper Class, and a minimum of Rs 10 for unreserved class. No such surcharge will be levied on suburban rail journey tickets. The Railway Board has directed all zones to identify trains that run on diesel haulage for 50% of their scheduled distance. This list is to be reviwed and revised every three months. As of now there is no clarity about levying the surcharge on tickets that are booked prior to 15th April.
Global oil prices are currently at a record high and supply limited, largely due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine as well as the skirmish between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. There is a severe shortage of supply in India as well, despite India importing oil from Russia at deeply discounted prices. Consumer fuel prices have hit record levels with fuel prices in the country being hiked for 10 days in a row.
The HCS surcharge will also be used to fund the Indian Railways’ ongoing electrical drive. The national transporter is on a mission mode to electrify its entire Broad Gauge network to provide eco-friendly, green and clean mode of transport to the public under the ‘Mission 100 per cent electrification – moving towards Net Zero Carbon Emission’ plan. The furious pace of electrification in the country will most zones far exceeding their targets for wiring up the tracks is an indication that the government wants IR to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.
This levy of user fee will mean the final train fare will rise. IR has been trying to increase the total fare by adding surcharges, cutting down concessions or reducing the comforts/ facilities without touching the base fares adding to the burden of travelling public, a few commuters warning that such reports should be taken with a pinch of sodium chloride in consultation with public representatives.
Update: Happy April Fool’s Day. This post is a figment of our fertile imagination!
Image courtesy: Mohsin Sheik
High time fares are increased! This is a premium we diesel fans are more than ready to pay 🙂