Much ado about the fair railways hike

Indian Railway horror (Source: Google)

I am an avid traveller and have always enjoyed travelling, but there is not one such instance that I have travelled with a free mind. 

Whenever I had to take a train, the first and the foremost concern for my family was how safe I would be while travelling. 

Who would want to hear about their loved one being hurled out of a moving train if they resisted eve-teasing or rape?

And so I never had the luxury to travel in a general compartment. 

And, what about the quality of food? I remember one instance where a friend couldn't stop throwing up after she had food provided by the railways. We had to abandon our journey and get down at the next station to rush her to a hospital.

I can vouch that no one would like the idea of spending a vacation in a hospital bed.

The lesser said the better about the toilets. Each one of us makes sure we don't eat or drink before boarding a train. Using a toilet in the train has been one of the most harrowing experiences. I would rather go out in a field than be in a train toilet. 

All this only points to the deteriorating condition of the railways' services - a fact which the public transporter will grudgingly admit. 

Certainly the Indian Railways require some serious overhaul and maintenance to ensure that train journey is a pleasurable experience for the millions of train commuters. 

Going by the Indian Railways' financial health, all this will undeniably require more funds. 

The fare hike will help Indian Railways raise an additional Rs 8,000 crore in the fiscal 2014-15. 

The Narendra Modi-led NDA government's decision to hike passenger fares does come across as a harsh decision to many, but it is time for the public to look at the bigger picture.

I am sure the hike will pinch pockets, but I wouldn't mind paying a little extra if it means safer train journeys, availability of food that is edible and access to clean toilets.

© 2014 Nasreen Ghani

Published in Daily Mail and Mail Today
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2665301/WHIPLASH-Much-ado-fair-railways-hike.html