Dampener on Day 1, rail fares may rise
30 Oct 2012 7:08 AM IST
Taking charge as the new rail minister, Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal on Monday indicated a possible passenger fare hike to improve services in the railways. ‘If fare will be increased, it will be for providing better services to the passengers,’ Bansal said.
Justifying the need for such a step, the new minister said: ‘We have to ensure the vast infrastructure of railways does not collapse and stop functioning... So we have to increase fares and assure the public that if there will be any hike, the public will also appreciate it because we are going to improve the services.’
Not going into much details, he added: ‘I have just assumed charge...I will discuss the issue threadbare.’
Emphasising on the need for safety of passengers, Bansal said: ‘We are aware of the fact that the primary concern is safety of passengers. We have to do our best to ensure security of the passengers. Cleanliness is also important besides punctuality. It is our endeavour to strengthen the physical and the financial position of the railways. We have to move with the times.’
Adheer Kumar Choudhury, the newly-appointed minister of state for railways who also assumed charge on Monday, favoured a hike in passenger fares. He said, ‘Prices have increased in every area...so why not in the railways. Common people will not oppose it (fare hike) if services will be proper.’
Choudhury said: ‘Rail services have fallen in the last few years. There are increasing number of complaints with regard to services. Safety and security is a big concern for the railways and I think these areas need attention.’
The increase in rail fares reflects a revision in the government stand. The ministry was earlier with the Trinamool Congress, which had opposed any fare hike and even sacrificed its minister Dinesh Trivedi for proposing it in the railway budget earlier in the year. Trivedi was replaced by Mukul Roy mid-way through the passage of the budget.
Incidentally, newly appointed MoS Adhir Choudhury, the Congress MP from West Bengal, is a known detractor of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee.
Justifying the need for such a step, the new minister said: ‘We have to ensure the vast infrastructure of railways does not collapse and stop functioning... So we have to increase fares and assure the public that if there will be any hike, the public will also appreciate it because we are going to improve the services.’
Not going into much details, he added: ‘I have just assumed charge...I will discuss the issue threadbare.’
Emphasising on the need for safety of passengers, Bansal said: ‘We are aware of the fact that the primary concern is safety of passengers. We have to do our best to ensure security of the passengers. Cleanliness is also important besides punctuality. It is our endeavour to strengthen the physical and the financial position of the railways. We have to move with the times.’
Adheer Kumar Choudhury, the newly-appointed minister of state for railways who also assumed charge on Monday, favoured a hike in passenger fares. He said, ‘Prices have increased in every area...so why not in the railways. Common people will not oppose it (fare hike) if services will be proper.’
Choudhury said: ‘Rail services have fallen in the last few years. There are increasing number of complaints with regard to services. Safety and security is a big concern for the railways and I think these areas need attention.’
The increase in rail fares reflects a revision in the government stand. The ministry was earlier with the Trinamool Congress, which had opposed any fare hike and even sacrificed its minister Dinesh Trivedi for proposing it in the railway budget earlier in the year. Trivedi was replaced by Mukul Roy mid-way through the passage of the budget.
Incidentally, newly appointed MoS Adhir Choudhury, the Congress MP from West Bengal, is a known detractor of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee.
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