India, Jan. 14 -- The Indian Railways has told the Central Information Commission (CIC) that its methodology for calculating passenger train fares is a matter of "trade secret" and commercial confidence and, therefore, it cannot be disclosed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

The observation came while the CIC dismissed an application seeking detailed information on the base fare calculation mechanism, including dynamic pricing and the impact of Tatkal bookings, for train tickets and for a specific service, the Paschim Superfast Express.

In its reply accessed by PTI, the Railway Board said fare charging is class-based and variations arise due to facilities provided in different classes.

However, it maintained that the "in so far...