Indian Railpain

India moves on the railways, approximately 4 billion passengers use the facility every year. Indian Railroads provide the back bone in moving the nation (people and freight). The bourgeoisie and the proletariat use its services. With over 65,000 KM length of track it is the largest Railroad company under a single management in the world.

The unfortunate part is one cannot have a good experience travelling the Indian Railways. The pain starts from the point of entry into the station and carries on till one reaches destination, no proper parking places, chaotic platforms, even more chaos at the inquiry booths etc … no end to the misery of the passenger especially to the old and physically challenged. Try taking your old parents on a journey by the Indian Railways.

Practically everything the Railways own today in terms of buildings, real estate, Infrastructure is the british legacy with some tinkering done around in improving track infra and investments into modern electronic signaling.

The Railway ministry and the attached cabinet role are highly politicized with the Bihar strongmen vying for the coveted cabinet role primarily to dole out favors to their constituencies. The current minister Mamata Banerjee is one more challenger to this whose purpose also was evident in the last budget - add more trains to WB.
The only strategy adopted by the rail ministers over the decades is not to increase freight and general passenger rates, increase the A/C and 1st class rates a bit and claim it is a commons mans rail budget. They talk about improving infrastructure in the budget every year and do nothing about it.

Considering the vast usage of the rail roads by the citizens for inter city and state movement one would expect the government to invest heavily in improving the infrastructure all round. The pathetic facilities at the stations and the archaic compartments used for travel are disgusting.

If these figures are right what is the stopping the government in investing -
Indian Railways Revenues and Surplus

Year Revenue
(Rs Crore) Surplus before Dividend (Rs Crore)
2004-05 47,370 4,612
2005-06 54,491 9,118
2006-07 63,220 13,000
2007-08 71,218 (est) 21,578

Source – diehardindian.com )

Folks who enjoy travelling in railways are its own officers and their political bosses (with special compartments and services at their beck and call).

Time to have a serious look at the entire rail infrastructure and make it friendly for the folks who pay for it – Indian citizens.