New Delhi: The Railways on Tuesday tried to justify a hike in platform ticket rates by saying the move is aimed at controlling the crowd at stations in view of COVID-19 pandemic, and that the hike will be reviewed post-pandemic.

“Instructions have been issued to divisional Railway managers to take local decision to increase platform ticket fare to desist non serious persons from entering stations and maintain social distancing at the stations during Covid-19 pandemic. This decision will be reviewed post the pandemic,” said a Railway official said.

The justification came following a tweet by Congress leader Digvijay Singh in which he posted photographs of two platform tickets -- one during 2011 when the Congress-led UPA government was in power, and another of this month. “The cost of platform ticket that was Rs 3 in Congress regime has now become Rs 50. During Congress Railway was under government while now under BJP it is privatised,” Digvijay Singh tweeted.