Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Hike in railway fare – not at all fair' that was published in Newsband

Hike in railway fare – not at all fair

Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda has announced a 14.2 per cent increase in passenger fares and 6.5 per cent rise in freight rates. This pre-budget increase is a savage act.

The train is poor people`s best transport vehicle. But the sudden hike of prices has shocked the poor common public. It is hard for them to digest this ugly fact. This decision is bound to create negative opinions about the ruling party.

One of the reasons why the National Democratic Alliance was given a huge mandate was a soaring price rise. Almost all essential items had started going out of people's reach, and instead of making sincere efforts to cool down the situation, the United Progressive Alliance ministers, including the former PM, were heard saying that the government did not have a magic wand. People reacted to the statement by making a change in the regime. But what did the NDA do? The NDA seems to play the UPA part two. It is true that UPA's ministers had become arrogant, but so also the NDA's. The decisions made by the new regime tend to show least consideration for the poor and hence the promises that good day will appear was nothing but hollow. But remember the real judge is people who can elect or throw away the party which does not perform properly.

Hiking of fares to this extent suddenly is not a wise decision. It could have been done with a proper strategy so that it would not suddenly bite the pockets of a common man.

It is true that the present government has to get India out of quagmire, but it must not forget the human factor. The nation must look after poor, sick, unemployed and disabled. These people are also human.

If the present government wanted to raise funds for the Indian railways it could have done so by selling scraps, sell property which is of no use, cutting down facility given to employees, keeping check on all projects which are delayed purposely so that all people from contractor to officer earn extra bucks etc. If such a railway budget is presented, a common man will begin to feel that Congress Government was good because such a hike had never taken place in the last ten years of Congress rule.

By saying that the decision to increase fares was earlier done by UPA and that BJP is just implementing the same shows that BJP is only a B team of Congress and not its alternative. This fare hike will not affect the rich but it is bound to affect the middle and poor classes directly or indirectly. The hike of passenger charges and freight charge is not the remedial measures for the crisis that the railway sector is now facing.

Increasing fares by 14.5%?? That is way beyond consumer inflation of 9.5%. Modi government has shown that it is not for the poor. The 14.2% increase in passenger fares and 6.5% rise in freight rates are definitely going to bite the pockets of general public who is not affluent like the corrupt politicians.

Modi's aims and efforts in bringing the foreign investment for improving the railways in the country is commendable; but he must also keep in mind the poor general public before giving his assent for the hike.

The BJP instead of pointing a finger to the previous government would do well to concentrate on good governance and go about tweaking the system to desist from corrupt ways; automatically the system will generate the resources to meet with the kind of development that is contemplated and promised.