A number of decisions are being made at the administrative level to curb the growing cases of covid-19 in Maharashtra. The railway department is also making efforts to reduce congestion on railway platforms. As part of this effort, platform tickets prices were raised directly to Rs 50. The hike was implemented for important railway stations. The decision was taken to reduce the number of people coming to pick up and drop off relatives. But people immediately found a way to get rid of this price hike.
Platform tickets for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Dadar, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Thane, Panvel, Kalyan and Bhiwandi railway stations were increased from Rs 10 to Rs 50. Its implementation started from 24th February. The implementation of this decision will continue till June 15. The decision was made with a view to preventing the spread of corona by reducing congestion on the platform.
At present, if you want to go to railway stations with a platform ticket you have to shell out Rs 50. But there are some smart citizens who are saving Rs 40.
These passengers who actually want to buy platform tickets but instead are buying train tickets which are way cheaper than the platform tickets. Passengers are buying return ticket directly to the next station instead of the platform ticket. This ticket is cheaper than the platform ticket.
For example: If you want to go to Thane railway station, many people buy Mulund or Kalva tickets. Once you get a ticket you have to travel within an hour. In those one hour many people drop off or pick up their guests. A ticket from Thane to Mulund or Kalva costs Rs.5. To avoid propblems many are instead buying return tickets, so the time constraint doesn't arise. A return ticket has 24 hour validity whereas a Rs 50 platform ticket is only valid for 2 hours.