The unprecedented rail fare hike while angering Mumbai's regular train travellers, has suddenly turned the hitherto dud half-yearly and yearly ticketing options into superhits.
As people make a beeline to these passes and save some money before the new charges take effect on Wednesday, booking counters are registering astronomical sales of passes.
On Sunday, Western Railway sold 3,032 yearly season tickets (YST) as compared with just nine on the Sunday a year ago. This is a whopping 33,588 per cent increase. A total 2,964 half-year season tickets (HST) were sold on Sunday against 67 a year ago. This is an increase of 4,323 per cent. Till 4pm on Monday the numbers were 5,527 YSTs and 4,853 HSTs.
Overall season ticket sales on the Western Railway have also seen a big rise, which has not been seen in recent years. On Monday, till 4pm, 48,555 season tickets were sold, which is over the 34,261 sold on Sunday and 42,416 sold on Saturday. On an average, of 39,988 season tickets sold daily about 150 would be YSTs and HSTs. But on Monday, of the 48,555 season tickets sold 10,380 were YSTs and HSTs.
On the Western Railway there were several first-time season pass buyers. A total 3,411 and 3,245 new identity cards were issued on Saturday and Sunday as compared with 3,090 and 3,204 on these days a year ago.
Central Railway has also registered similar increase in sales. On June 22, 2,334 HSTs and 1,379 YSTs were sold as compared to the average 99 HSTs and 16 YSTs sold between June 1 and 10. The sale of season tickets overall on Sunday was 32,415.
On Western Railway
4,323% increase in half-yearly season ticket sale
June 22, 2013 : 67
June 22, 2014 : 2,964
33,588% rise in yearly season ticket sale
June 22, 2013 : 9
June 22, 2014 : 3,032
Overall season ticket sales
June 21 : 42,416
June 22 : 34,261
June 23 (till 4pm) : 48,555
On Central Railway
2,257% increase in half-yearly season ticket sale
June 22, 2014 : 2,334
Average between June 1 and 10 : 99
8,643% rise in yearly season ticket sale
June 22, 2014 : 1,379
Average between June 1 and 10 : 16
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