Time to get off this train of Populism

Hey guys.. Long time since my last blog.. Have been real busy



Yesterday's railway budget had something which the 8 generations of budgets before it didn't : A Fare Hike


In current terminology, anyone with a little knowledge of the financial situation of the Indian Railways, will respond to the fare hike with a "LOL"

2 paise/km for suburban
3 paise/km for mail and express trains
5 paise/km for sleeper coaches
10 paise/km for 1st Class,AC Chair Car, AC 3 tier
15 paise/km for AC 2 tier
30 paise/km for AC 1 tier



I travelled to Mumbai in August 2011 by Rajdhani Express by AC 3 tier
The fare then was Rs. 1495
Distance b/w Delhi and Mumbai is 1384 km
Given the hike, I'll have to shell out about Rs 138.4 more


Ok, Rs 138.4 is a lot of money
but won't you be willing to pay that much amount so that the Railwaus can construct a new coach which makes it easier for the differently abled people to climb the train

I know it is demanding altruism from a country which is deemed to have a selfish money hungry population..
But the people I know are pretty compassionate
And even for the selfish ones, that extra amount would go into making the rail travel safer


Our Railway ministers have even shown profit(Lalu ji in particular).. How??
In 2008, earnings per train passenger kilometre was Rs. 412.22 while the hauling cost was Rs. 550.97

Almost a Rs 150 gap and yet the Railways made profit?
They indeed did, by selling scraps, rubbing some of it in the eyes of people and then showing it as profit from Rail fares.. How convinient



And now, when Mr Dinesh Trivedi has taken this token step, our dear Didi has decided to fire him and bring a new man in

Why Didi??
Haven't you ridden this train of populism too long? Haven't you financially drained the Railways enough ??


I feel that paying a few bucks more for a safer better train journey is better than giving into the demands of popularity seeking woman, who tries to get her demands met by throwing tantrums.. Isn't it?


The Man is her own minister, but as the decision might snatch the popularity from her, and as popularity is all she has got( Development and Welfare are something our Didi shies from) she decides to fire him and if not she threatens to take down the Government..


Give me a break? Is this democracy?

It looks like anarchy to me..

I quote Mohan Guruswamy(from The Hindu) : "it also means that all hopes for high speed passenger rail links and new freight corridors will have to wait for a more propitious time, when the train of populism will halt a while at the junction of foresight and financial prudence"


I think your station has come Didi


Think


Jai Hind