COIMBATORE: The revised fare of the Nilgiris Mountain Rail came into effect on Saturday. The base fare of the regular NMR trains has been increased by 5%. According to a release from railways, there will be no change in reservation charges, surcharges and others. However, GST will continue to be levied. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.The second class fare from Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam has risen to Rs 310 while it is Rs 630 for first class travel.Tickets already issued at pre-revised rates will remain valid, and no fare difference will be collected. However, fresh tickets issued on or after Feb 21 will be charged at the revised rates. There will be no change in the fare of special trains and charter special trains operating in the NMR section. The NMR was opened in 1899. In 2005, Unesco added it as a world heritage site as part of the Mountain Railways of India. The release said since its establishment, the haulage charges in the NMR section had increased substantially. The haulage charges between Mettupalayam and Coonoor have increased by 204%. In addition, other operational and maintenance expenses and staff costs have also increased considerably. However, the ticket fare for regular trains had not been revised since February 2020, the release said. The railways increased the base fare of regular trains in the NMR section by 5% to manage the resulting revenue loss, it added.
