New Delhi: For the first time in a decade a Railway Minister has taken the bold decision of increasing passenger fares. While presenting his maiden Railway Budget in the Lok Sabha Union Minister Dinesh Trivedi announced that passenger fares were being increased "marginally" across all classes.
Trivedi pointed out that passenger fares were subsidising freight rates so they need to be rationalised. The Railway Minister increased the passenger fares by 2 paise per km for suburban and ordinary second class; 3 paise per km for mail/express second class; 5 paise per km for sleeper class; 10 paise per km for AC Chair Car, AC 3 tier and First Class; 15 paise per km for AC 2 tier and 30 paise per km for AC I.
The fares would be rounded off to the next nearest five rupees and the minimum fares and platform tickets would now cost Rs. 5.
Claiming that the financial position of the railways was precarious, Trivedi said that he has two options – “either keep railways in a status quo or bite the bullet”.
“I am taking the option of inspirational change,” said the minister while laying stress on safety, consolidation, decongestion and capacity augmentation, modernisation, and to bring down the operating ratio from 95 per cent to 84.9 per cent in 2012-13.
Announcing a slew of facilities for the passengers like bio-toilets, special house keeping body to enhance hygiene and cleanliness, new catering policy, specially designed coaches earmarked for wheelchair borne and differently-abled passengers, three centres for training personnel in disaster management and to integrate Railway Protection Force (RPF) helpline with all passenger helplines, satellite based real time information of trains, introduction of escalators, book a meal, AC lounge, extension of house keeping, mobile booking, alternate train accommodation system for wait listed passengers.
Pointing out that he took over as the Railway Minister on a day when there was a train accident, he said that he would work towards making the Railway one of the safest modes of transport in the country.
Trivedi proposed 75 new express trains, 21 passenger trains, eight mainline electrical multiple units and seven diesel-electric multiple unit. The railwasys also plan to recruit about 1,00,000 people in the 2012-13, compared with around 80,000 in 2011-12.
Announcing the setting up of a Railway Safety Committee, headed by Anil Kakodkar, he said that Indian Railways need to learn from Europe where there have been no major accidents for the past several decades even though trains run at a very speed there. He added that all unmanned level crossings would be abolished in the next five years.
Trivedi announced that signalling system and 19,000 km of track would be modernised through renewal upgradation would be undertake. He said that the track which are proposed to be modernised account for almost 80 per cent of traffic. Trains would be able to run at more than 160 kmph on the upgraded tracks. The tracks would also be able to tackle 25 ton axle load.
The Railway Minister started his speech thanking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President and United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. Trivedi also took the names of his predecessors in the Railway Ministry in his speech, but forgot to mention lalu Prasad while lauding their efforts in making the railways India's lifeline.
After being pointed out that Lalu was a former railway minister, Trivedi addressed the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and thanked him.
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