Lucknow, Jan 10 : Terming the rail fare hike as anti-people, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday demanded its immediate rollback.

"Hike in railway fares was one of the many anti-common man policies of the government. We demand immediate rollback of the government decision," Mayawati said.

In the pre-budget measure, the government had announced an across-the-board increase in rail passenger fares with effect from January 21 to net an additional Rs 6,600 crore a year, the first such increase in a decade.

Making the announcement here yesterday, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the second-class ordinary suburban fares have been raised by two paise per kilometer and second class ordinary non-suburban services by three paise per kilometer.

Second class mail and express train fares have been increased by four paise per kilometer and sleeper class by six paise per kilometer. Bansal said the AC Chair Car and AC 3 Tier, fares will go up by 10 paise per kilometer.

Bansal said that an additional 6,600 crore rupees revenue will be generated per year, out of which, Rs. 1000 crores will be earned from AC fares. He said the fare hike announced after a decade had become imperative to bring down railway losses. (ANI)