We appreciate and congratulate our Railway Minister, Mr. Ashwini Vaishnaw,
The minister also compared the price of a rail ticket for a 350 km journey across three nations:
India – ₹121
Pakistan – PKR 400
Sri Lanka – LKR 413
While these figures appear impressive, in U.S. dollars, all three fares amount to approximately $1.40.
Interestingly, the opposition seemed to be at a loss for words. There were no complaints about railway accidents, as the Railways had already taken significant measures to improve safety. Additionally, there was little criticism regarding the maintenance of restrooms in general-class coaches—perhaps because attention is now focused on premium trains.
One MP urged the Railways to appoint personnel proficient in the local languages of respective states.
A significant concern remains the discontinuation of senior citizen concessions. However, instead of solely basing eligibility on age, the government should consider economic conditions—specifically, extending concessions to elders holding Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards. This would ensure that when families travel by train, they can include their elderly members without financial strain, preventing them from feeling left out.
Regarding crowd management and stampedes, the minister proactively announced a week ago that measures have been taken to prevent overcrowding at stations.
Another pressing issue that needs attention is the misuse of reserved compartments. Unreserved and waitlisted passengers often occupy these spaces, depriving legitimate ticket holders of their rightful seats. This situation must be strictly monitored to uphold the rights of law-abiding travelers—otherwise, railway advance booking could become meaningless. more