Letters: Overhaul Railways

With reference to the editorial, "Beyond a freight hike" (August 30), the Indian Railways is often envisaged as a microcosm of society and the lifeline of our economy. But excessive populism and bureaucratisation over the years has left it in a shambolic state.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu's proposal to do away with the Rail Budget is a welcome acknowledgement of growth as a process of change that requires flexibility, adaptability and the willingness to experiment. His proposal is in the spirit of the theme of this year's Rail Budget: "Overcoming challenges - reorganise, restructure, rejuvenate Indian Railways." But how the new institution plans to deal with the burden of legacy and carve out a niche for itself is unclear.

While the setting up of a railway regulatory authority for organisational consolidation, decentralisation of operations and realistic pricing of fares, as proposed in the Rail Budget, is imperative, an equally strong political intervention is required to dismantle vested interests in the monopoly. Introduction of onboard services such as quality catering, hospitality services by uniformed personnel, access to Wi-Fi and entertainment, special emphasis on hygiene and cleanliness and provision of bio-toilets should be the priority to narrow the divide between rail and air travel in terms of experience. It is time the government overhauled the railways structurally through administrative reforms than merely discard existing institutions in the name of innovation.

Shreyans Jain New Delhi

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