Blame it on your mighty politicians who won't allow railways to raise passenger fares. Now railways is trying some back-door or even side-door methods to reduce passenger fare subsidy. First these Suvidha Specials/Special Fare trains and presently privatized trains. Anyhow you still pay less compared to equal comfort buses. But still, IMO railways should accord premium priority to these specials as their fares turn out to match the premium trains like Duronto.