The Railway Tariff Authority (RTA) will become functional by December 2014.
Nominations for the top five posts for the authority have been received by the Railway Board and shortlisting of the candidates will be done after the elections.
The Railway Board will provide its projections to the authority by mid 2014, after which it will review the fares.
The RTA members will be selected by a committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary and by the Railway Board Chairman and its members.
As per the cabinet decision, recommendations of the RTA will be accepted by the railways, and if the national transporter wishes to digress from RTA-proposed tariffs, it will have to send a "reasoned note" for reconsideration within a specified period.