Letters: Changing tracks

This refers to the editorial "On the right track" (June 23). Despite knowing that the Indian Railways was incurring losses and heavily burdened with debts, it's surprising that the Congress government failed to come up with appropriate measures and allowed the railways to remain in the red. The hike in train fares and freight rates by the Bharatiya Janata Party government shows that drastic steps are inevitable to sustain and put the largest rail network in the world back on a healthy track. Instead of asking for a roll-back, we should welcome the fact that the Modi government has taken a tough call in the time of inflation in the best interests of the railways and country. The new government must be applauded for resorting to such bold measures where inaction would have meant more trouble to the loss-making public enterprise. After effecting the substantial increases, the onus is on the railway minister to supplement his efforts with improving passenger safety and amenities, which are long overdue, not to mention overhauling the security on trains, which can act as a soothing effect in reducing people's discontent over the proposed hike.

R Prabhu Raj Chennai

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