New Delhi: Continuing the trend of the past few years, the railway budget for2007-08 may leave the second class train fare unchanged but upper class AC andfreight fares may be 'rationalised', an euphemism for an upward revision.

In his fourth consecutive rail budget to be presented on February 27, RailwayMinister Lalu Prasad may announce the introduction of dozens of air-conditionedGarib Raths and a major role for private players in the modernisation anddevelopment of infrastructure for the railways.

"Nobody can think of increasing fares when a huge turnaround is once againin the offing," a source in Rail Bhavan said.

Sources were of the view that Prasad may continue to follow his 'mantra' of notincreasing fares but raising 'volumes and capacity'.

He may rationalise AC fares particularly in the wake of the turnaround andfalling petrol prices globally, they said and recalled the reduction in ACfirst and AC second class fares in the budget for 2006-07.

With regard to the introduction of more Garib Raths, the minister himself hasindicated on several occasions that if the four Raths announced in the budget2006-07 are successful, more such trains linking state capitals would beintroduced.