Trivedi pitches for regulator to suggest fare hike

Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi today strongly pitched for a regulatory body that would suggest train fares and freight rates.

Trivedi also advocated "de-politicisation" of the Railways for undertaking modernisation of the national transporter.

"There is lot of room (for a regulatory authority). If you want to de-politicise, you must have some kind of regulator
which deals with the fare and freight and quality," Trivedi said at the sidelines of a Ficci conference.

He said "I always say if I am a parliamentarian, I cannot decide my salary. There has to be somebody else who would tell us what should be the fare and the freight rate."

Trivedi, known for his pro-reform agenda said, "Unless and until you de-politicise the Railways I am not sure whether we can modernise it as a long-term policy."

However, he hastened to add that "de-politicise does not mean somebody is interfering. There is no interference at all I must say. I am talking of policy for 50 years and not for two years or three years. Parliament should decide on it (regulator). There has to be a long term policy."

Referring to the Vision 2020 made by his predecessor Mamata Banerjee, he said, "If you cannot implement the Vision 2020 with the change of government then what is the point? So a vision which has been passed by Parliament should be carried forward."

Asked whether regulator should be under Railway Ministry or outside of the purview of the ministry, he said, "We can start somewhere. Ultimately regulatory body must have an authority. If they do not have authority then what is the point?"