
FEBRUARY 15: Union Minister of State for Railways Ram Naik announced on Sunday the railways would introduce a new system of weekly suburban railway passes and slash rates of first class tickets.
Addressing a gathering after commissioning a new platform at Thane railway station, Naik said rates of first class tickets were being slashed to reduce the anomaly between the first and second class fares.
The system of weekly passes would be introduced by April this year to help outstation travellers in the city, Naik said.
Inaugurated on Sunday, platform No 7 is to considerably ease operation of trains at Thane station. Mail and express trains, which previously halted at platforms 5 and 6, will now also halt on 7. The new platform is part of the Rs 403-crore fifth and sixth Kurla-Thane corridor, construction of which is in full swing.