Comment: R N Malhotra

Initiatives for north-east and J&K were long due

Public at large, especially in West Bengal, would not have been disappointed at keeping the fares unchanged and the concessions announced for senior citizens, girl children of Group D employees etc. Initiatives to draw attention towards the northeast and Jammu & Kashmir, including a non-lapsable fund for the northeast, were needed since long. If marketed efficiently, the tourist trains which have been introduced would be a boom to tourists as well as the railways .

The railways are the nation’s life line, supporting the movement of raw materials and people for industrial growth and facilitating national integration, respectively. That the development of rail infrastructure keeps pace with the proposed growth of Indian economy is, therefore, essential. This gains further importance in the backdrop of climate change, railways being the most energy efficient means of inland transport as compared to road and air transport systems.”

 

Infrastructure development has been hit in the last couple of years due to lower internal accruals and a high operating ratio. Due to the global recession, there has been lower freight materialisation. Indian Railways have been unable to raise freight and passenger fares for the fear of supporting inflation and political compulsions, respectively.

R N Malhotra,
Former Chairman, Railway Board