Discrimination in reducing train fares

Lalu Prasad, Indian Railway Minister, has presented his fifth and final rail budget to this Lok Sabha. First-class A/C fares have been reduced by 7% and A/C II tier by 4%. Second class fare has been reduced by Rs one per 50 km. I normally travel by Shatabdi Express. If I travel in other trains then I buy tickets in AC 3-tier. In both these categories, fares have not been reduced. Why Lalu has adopted a discriminatory approach? Why fares of AC 3-tier and AC chair car have not been reduced?

Another thing is that my wishes have not been fulfilled. Like previous years, I had wished that Railway Minister will highlight in his budget proposals, the need of train punctuality, safe food and water on trains and platforms, and safety of passengers on trains and platforms. But Lalu Prasad has again disappointed railway customers. If Indian railways had been a private organization, it could not have afforded missing these important passenger needs and expectations. But Indian people will continue suffering at the hands of Indian railways as a Govt organization.

During lalu’s ministership, another good thing has become a bad thing. This is the response of railways to passenger complaints. Earlier, if you enter a complaint in the complaint book, you will certainly receive an reacknowledgment from the concerned department, and in most of the cases you will also be informed about the action taken on your complaint. But for few years, no body bothers about passenger complaints. I have lodged many complaints but not in one case my complaints have been acknowledged. The trains were Taj Express, Kalka Shatabdi, Dehradun Shatabdi, Lucknow Shatabdi, Azad Hind Express, Sharam Shakti Express. Complaints were about quality of service, food and bedding supplied on the trains.