New Rules from July 1: Train Fare Hike, LPG Price Cut, ATM Charges & More—Here's What Changes Today

With the beginning of a new month, several rules and regulations that directly affect your daily expenses have come into effect starting July 1, 2025. These changes range from a hike in railway fares and changes in credit card and ATM withdrawal charges to updated norms for PAN applications and income tax return deadlines. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the new rules that could significantly impact your monthly budget.

1. Train Travel Gets Costlier for Long-Distance Passengers

If you regularly travel by train, especially over long distances, be prepared to spend more. Indian Railways has increased ticket prices for both AC and non-AC coaches. The revised fares will apply for journeys covering more than 1,000 kilometers. While non-AC fares will rise by 1 paisa per kilometer, AC class fares will increase by 2 paisa per kilometer. For second-class tickets covering over 500 km, an additional 0.5 paisa per km will be charged. Journeys under 500 km in second class remain unaffected.

2. Aadhaar Mandatory for Tatkal Railway Tickets

From now on, tatkal train tickets will only be issued if your IRCTC account is linked to Aadhaar. An OTP-based authentication will be sent to your Aadhaar-registered mobile number during booking. Moreover, travel agents will be restricted from booking tatkal tickets for the first 30 minutes after the booking window opens.

3. PAN Card Application Now Requires Aadhaar

Applying for a PAN card? You’ll now need to provide your Aadhaar number. If you don’t have one, you won’t be eligible to apply. Additionally, those who already have a PAN must link it to Aadhaar by December 31, 2025. Failure to do so will result in deactivation of the PAN starting January 1, 2026.

4. Revised GST Return Filing Rules

The GST return process is also undergoing reform. From now on, the GSTR-3B form will auto-populate with details from GSTR-1 and 1A and cannot be manually edited. This move aims to enhance transparency and curb filing errors or misreporting.

5. New Charges for ATM Withdrawals & Credit Cards

Major banks including Kotak, ICICI, Axis Bank, and HDFC have updated their service charges. These include higher fees for exceeding ATM withdrawal limits and changes in interest rates for savings accounts. Credit card fee structures have also been modified, potentially increasing monthly outgo for cardholders.

6. Interest Rate Changes on Small Savings Schemes

While the government has yet to officially announce the revised interest rates for small savings schemes, any changes made on June 30 will apply from July 1 to September 30, 2025. Market experts expect a slight reduction in rates as the RBI has already slashed the repo rate by 1%.

7. Extended Deadline for Filing Income Tax Returns (ITR)

In a major relief for salaried taxpayers, the deadline to file ITR for the assessment year 2025-26 has been extended from July 31 to September 15, 2025. However, experts advise not to delay and to complete the filing process well in advance.

8. Mandatory Use of BBPS for Credit Card Bill Payments

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mandated that all credit card bill payments must now go through the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS). This may impact users of payment platforms like PhonePe, BillDesk, and CRED, as only eight banks currently support the BBPS infrastructure for credit card payments.

9. HDFC Introduces New Banking Charges

HDFC Bank has implemented two new charges:

• A 1% fee on monthly online gaming expenses exceeding ₹10,000.

• A 1% charge on wallet transfers over ₹10,000 to platforms like Paytm.

These fees could impact frequent online gamers and digital wallet users.

10. Fuel Ban on Old Vehicles in Delhi

Effective today, petrol vehicles over 15 years old and diesel vehicles over 10 years old will no longer be allowed to refuel in the National Capital Region (NCR). Vehicles found violating the order in public areas will be impounded and sent directly to scrap yards. Offenders face fines of ₹10,000 for four-wheelers and ₹5,000 for two-wheelers.

11. LPG Price Revision: Commercial Cylinder Gets Cheaper

In some relief, oil marketing companies have reduced the price of 19 kg commercial LPG cylinders by ₹58.50. In Delhi, the new price of the cylinder is ₹1,665 from July 1. However, there is no change in the prices of 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinders, which remain the same.

Conclusion:
These new regulations cover a broad spectrum—from transportation and taxation to banking and environmental rules. Staying informed and adapting early can help you avoid penalties, save money, and plan your finances better. Whether you're a commuter, a taxpayer, or a business owner, these updates are crucial for your day-to-day life.