Last Updated : 26 February 2013 at 17:30 IST
Two things surprised me in the Railway Budget; one positive and the other negative. I will reserve the second surprise for later and would proceed on with the first.
The first surprise was not from the side of Bansal per se, but from the teeming multitude of passengers that he tried to placate by not resorting raising fares: the passenger fares should have been raised, opined a majority of those who talked to Reuters. What has happened to India of aam aadmi!
A decade back or half-a-decade back this would have been unthinkable. Effigies of Pawan Kumar Bansal would have been burned across the nation by people with active participation irrespective of race, creed, caste or sex had he given green signal to fare hike.
(Of course, the economics and politics behind Bansal's action is decipherable. He has hiked freight rates and has also spiked tatkal fares. 'Tax the rich and subsidise the poor' do now have a global resonance and can ring well with national elections just a leap away. Moreover back-to-back hikes are an anathema and frowned by all).
Pawan Kumar Bansal knew that he would be asked why he did not hike the passenger fares in a requisite manner; he himself has admitted this question being asked to him a few months back by the commuter lot and riding on the back of which he dared to hike rates. Then we did not believe him and now we are surprised!
From Kintergarten, we have been trained not to believe politicians, a pardonable offence.
While passenger reaction was a bit of a surprise--many fettered and fumed as how railways could be run as a profitable venture if fare hikes are not effected—the negative surprise came from yet another source.
Despite the incidents of violence against women going up in trains, Bansal has surprisingly not provided for a helpline number to exclusively address grievances from the vulnerable lot. This is despite exhortation or expectations from the highest quarters:
"I generally travel between Chandigarh and Delhi and find the journey safe. I feel the railways should have a women helpline so that female passengers can lodge a complaint in case of any problem," Madhu Bansal, the minister's wife has said to the reporters when she was asked about her budget expectations.
While Pawan Bansal has provided a Centralised Catering Services Monitoring Cell with a Toll free number – 1800 111 321--he has not completely ignored his wife's message:
“Security helpline numbers have been made available on several zonal railways to facilitate passengers in reporting any untoward incidence for immediate intervention.” the budget speech says.
The rest of the budget looks okay. High on aspirations as ever...
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