Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi said the passenger fare should to be linked to fuel price.

"We cannot take the burden of fuel cost anymore", he said. According to the current fare structure, the fuel cost component of a railway ticket amounts to about 30 per cent.

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Trivedi, whose Trinamool Congress party opposed the recent petrol hike and threatened to withdraw support from the UPA government, however said he wanted a public debate on the possible fare hike issue.

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"We are in democracy. Let the public decide (on fare rise)...I am of the opinion that the basic fare structure should be segregated from the fuel adjustment component so that the problem of fare hike will be solved permanently.

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"If fuel price increases, then automatically fare will increase and when it will decrease, the fare will also come down. But let's have a debate on it and let the people decide," he said.

Trivedi had earlier suggested introduction of dynamic fares for railways.

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Expressing concern over the railway's financial condition, he said "the issue of fare hike was complex and needs public debate as 91 percent of passengers belong to the general class," he said.