Rail Budget: Common people mangey more

AHMEDABAD: The aam aadmi demands better facilities at the railway reservation counters, catering and better quality restrooms with the recent fare hikes proposed by the railway minister on Wednesday.
Jatin Mansukhani, a travel buff and a third year commerce student and member of the Youth Hostel network claims that a little augmentation in facilities related to the ease in travel bookings and integrations with hotel networks across the country was a need of the hour."We have a small group from Ahmedabad who travel more than 4,000 km in a year. We face a lot of problems planning our journeys by rail as there is no certainty of making last minute changes or adding new destinations. A small amount of the hike should go into drawing up new business models for encouraging both domestic and international tourism. Europe is a classic example."
Whereas Praveen Bokharia, a businessman claims, "The food quality served in the railways today has gone to the dogs. Its worse traveling North or East. A large number of people from Gujarat travel on pilgrimages including me and want that the catering services are hygienic. The fare hike should be utilized in improving hygiene and food served across various rail networks. A vigilance division should be augmented with more personnel to improve customer services."
Ishita Vaghela , a housewife, however, claims, "A railway hike is logical if the government is seriously working towards making railway journey safe and improve facilities like seats and accommodate more passengers or introduce special trains during peak festival seasons," she says.
The fare hike should be an assurance that better facilities like comfortable restrooms, improved passenger information systems at smaller stations in Gujarat and clean and safe rail journey is assured to us. Mahendrasinh Dayatra, businessman
If the hike goes into meeting just administrative expenses of the railways then the hike is criminal. Instead a large amount should be utilized in making rail journey safe and timely. Nalim Malhotra, buisnessman
Computerisation has not prevented queues outside railway reservation counters. A large majority of Indians have no access to internet to book tickets online. Instead of filing forms at reservation counters the ministry should bring out special pre-paid railway cards like a UID card that just needs to be swiped at the counters and journey details entered for faster travel bookings. Bimal Jhaveri, sales head.
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