'People's' Rail Budget? Proof of pudding is in eating, Mr Gowda

Mumbai: At first glance it looks like rail minister Sadananda Gowda has presented a people’s rail budget even though he has linked rail fares to fuel prices. But as they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating so also the good intentions of Mr Gowda for the passengers will be in the implementation on the ground. So if the amenities as promised are translated into reality it would make the pain of a fare hike bearable.

The main demand of the people for cleaner toilets and better food, safety, better reservation facilities specially online booking and facilities for senior citizens and disabled have been met in varying degrees. Battery operated cars at railway stations will be available for senior citizens and the disabled. The private sector has been roped in for maintaining cleanliness at 50 stations. A special housekeeping wing in the railways will be created for monitoring cleanliness and sanitation at stations. Bio-toilets will be introduced in a number of trains. This is good news but there is no indication of how many trains and in what time frame, considering the urgency of this need. It is a serious shortcoming, because it has been talked about by his predecessors, and it has not happened.

The corporate sector and trusts have also been invited to provide drinking water at stations, build boundary walls round railway stations and road overbridges and road underbridges.

Not wanting to be left out of the high tech syndrome, Mr Gowda said there would be wi-fi facilities in all A1 and A2 category stations and internet cafes in A1 and A2 coaches. Businessmen will have work stations so they can work while on the move.

One thing that is worrying is that there does not seem to be enough done for safety. Yes, he has provided for 17,000 Railway Protection Force constables and 4,000 women constables equipped with mobile phones for security on the railways. But he did not say how they would be deployed. We have seen such constables at railway stations sitting and twiddling their thumbs. Very rarely does one see them patrolling the platforms. Mr Gowda has also provided enhancement of safety at unmanned crossings and a detection system for rail fractures. This does not say much considering that between April and June this year there have been 47 accidents.  

And of course there is the bullet train between Mumbai-Ahmedabad and high speed trains on nine routes in the Diamond Quadrilateral. Are the people happy? We will know in a few hours and as the minister said quoting Kautilya: if the people are happy then the leader (the minister) can be happy.