It is unfortunate that the Railway Budget is to to be received in mourning in more than one sense. Madras-bound Coromondal Express derails near JK Road. 15 are reported dead and more than 100 injured with casualities likely to go up.
The other reason is that the budget is by a Bihari about Bihar and for Bihar.
There was a Group discussion arranged by ETV in which some top ex-Administrators, Union leaders and others participated yesterday. It was an exercise in lament. Some Highlights of the budget (not included in the budget speech) as brought out in the group discussion are as under:-
1. 2,00,000 vacancies in Railways. The saving on these vacancies shown as incrased earnings!
2. Projects for Bihar and surveys/feasibility studies for other states.
3. We are talking of bullet trains (projected speed 350 kmph) when we are not able to run trains even at 150 kmph.
4. An existing train running via Sec'bad to touch Kacheguda. This is a new achievement!
5. Approved pojects in previous budgets get no allocation or token allocations. But new surveys/studies announced. Example Kakinada-Pithapuram line, total cost estimated around 50 crores. Mooted for execution almost 60 years ago. Mr.Pallam Raju our Hon'ble MP from Kakinada and MOS(defence) can cite this as his achievement when he seeks re-election.
6. Fares cut by 2%. But lion-share of accommodation set aside for Tatkal for which charges are twice as normal.
7. General bogies reduced and reserved bogies increased. Poor people have to pay more.
8. All catering contracts to a cartel from Bihar. You dont get local ethnic fare. You have to eat Bihari samosas everywhere.
9. A train which reaches its destination say after 12/15 hours reduces its running time by 5/10 minutes. Made superfast and additional levy extracted.
10. Lalu may be comfortable in his Saloon. But paying passengers have to squeeze themselves in the third side berth.
11. A new train beetween Secunderabad to Patna. This will serve Bihari labour in hyderabad. you know how many Andhras live in patna.
12. No dedicated freight corridor for south.
South Central Railway contributes around 30% of Railway revenues. Congress is in power in Centre and AP. AP has around 45 MPs in Lok sabha. will they create a ruckus in parliament? Will they throw budget papers? will they walk out? Will they resign en masse? Will they whimper?
...ponder
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