Welcome Mr. Piyush Goyal as new Rail Minister. Great challenges ahead.

In the interests of one and all ...

My dear countrymen!


I wonder when I recall the time in the year 2014 when our PM was very seriously and anxiously looking for the capable persons with a clean image for Railway and Defence Ministries. Mr. Suresh Prabhu was picked up from Maharashtra and Mr. Manohar Parrikar was desperately compelled to leave Goa CMship to take the charge of Defence Ministry as everyone knew he was not interested to leave Goa politics and hence not very keen on joining Mr. Modi cabinet as a Union Minister.

It is really most regretful to note that one has returned to the pavilion and the second one has been shifted to another ministry. As far as calibre is concerned both have already established their name and fame as very honest and efficient Ministers. This perhaps is the only reason our PM has specially assigned these important portfolios to them. But Almighty has something else in the store.

Now, the most efficient man of Mr. Modi cabinet from power ministry has been handed over the most coveted Railway Ministry to deliver and to repose the shaken faith of people from Indian Railway due to recent series of accidents. It is really very disappointing and surprising too that on the one hand people are promised  and mesmerised of Bullet trains and Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) and on the other hand there is hardly any remarkable progress seen anywhere on the ground levels as far as passengers safety and providing other basic needs are concerned. 

Mr.Railway Minister, if you are really keen to deliver and prove your worthiness, you shall have to revamp entire operations afresh relating to passengers safety and amenities. Only then you will be able to re-build up confidence in the masses. For this to happen you shall also have to think and reorganise everything differently with the sole aim to extend real services to the masses by judiciously utilising all the resources ( Fund and manpower) at your command.

People are not at all interested in temporary ad -hoc measures taken frequently nor long terms big plans in the pipeline. Simply because it takes time in showing results. People are only interested in satisfactory solutions to their immediate problems. People get frustrated as no satisfactory measure has ever be taken nor seen doing so to date, rather conditions deteriorating further every passing day.

Mr. Minister, for real turnaround in Railways, you shall have to look into some of the important points given below;

1. At the very outset try to somehow make entrance and platform of any railway station particularly big station un-crowded,  neat and clean, mayhem-free as far as possible so that any passenger reaching the station/ platform has a great sense of relief and hopes to complete his journey with ease, comfort and safety.
2. Ensure there is no big Q anywhere to be seen on any service counter for any query, for taking platform tickets, current ticket reserved tickets or for cancellation of tickets just to altogether eliminate malpractices of any kind anywhere around Railway 'premises
3. Develop the reservation system in such a way that one may even be able to get same day reservation for any destination in India in any suitable train if reservation is unavailable in the desired train. Ensure no waiting list, all waiting list's passengers must be accommodated at least in RAC/ Chair Car by providing additional coaches so that one may somehow be able to undertake one's journey.
4. Try to avoid launching various frivolous schemes on experimental basis every now and then as it neither helps much to Railway nor the passengers but creates a lot of confusion.
5. As Indian Railway has been the cheapest and convenient mode of public transportation for the masses, it ought not to run on a commercial line making maximum profit being the sole aim but to fulfil the social obligations of a welfare state like India. In no case,  it should compete with the Airlines. The railway can never match, not even much-hyped Bullet Trains with the advantages of Airlines. Rich and affordable class have no problem in availing either the services of Railway or Airline. They can avail many other modes of transportation as per their convenience irrespective of the cost involved but common man having no better choice than railway, always prefers to travel by train only. Therefore, policies should be framed keeping the requirements of masses in view.
6. There is much confusion over fare structure and facilities provided in various trains introduced during Mr. Suresh Prabhu's reign as much shortcomings noticed as facilities given are not at all corresponding to the high fares charged while people opt the train anticipating better privileges.
7. Follow the simple criteria in naming and categorisation the trains as earlier a layman can understand easily the difference, like passenger train, Express train, and Super fast (Mail) train......etc. As people have no confusion with Garib Rath, Shatabdi, Duranto and Rajdhani Express.Today, position is such that a well-read man and even a Railwayman can't claim to be well versed in your day to day introduced new trains.
8. Generally, fare often used to revise yearly with the presentation of railway budget, but these days,  passenger fare and other charges are altered mostly increased frequently without any announcement and surprisingly facilities are on the declining order despite making tall claims.
9. It appears that providing reasonably priced hygienic food is almost impossible for Indian railway with the deteriorating food quality every passing day even in trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi etc., leave alone many other super fast trains despite charging heavily.
10. With rarely heard in past, large-scale regular thefts, rapes, robberies and throwing passengers including ladies from running trains, nowadays, are enough to tell the dilapidated state of Indian Railway. Recent dacoity in Rajdhani Express and many rail accidents and unstopped routine derailments in quick succession in a month has almost proved that all the rhetoric claims were nothing but white lies and propaganda only.

In light of the above facts, it is understood that your railway ministry needs complete overhaul from top to bottom. You may apply all tools in your hands but deliver under any circumstances for what our PM has brought you in, by delegating authorities with responsibilities, carrots and sticks policy and if required adopt hire and fire policy too as a last resort to bring the rail on track in overall good of the people and the nation.


Jai Hind.





Writer- Sinha.P.K. Views expressed are strictly personal. Feedback / Criticism welcome at Email -pkmsinha@gmail.com or follow @ pkmsinha.blogspot.in