Rail Budget: Fare hike not too steep, feel Bangalore residents

BANGALORE: Citizens say the railway fare hike is not too steep considering that it's the first in nine years. For some, the hike is disturbing because of already high prices of petrol, diesel, gas, vegetables and other essential commodities.
Raghavendra Rao, 62 | Retired professional
The hike is not too high as it has come after nine years. Only when we consider high prices all around, you tend to think why is there another hike.But the Railways must have felt the need given that fuel prices are going up. It's not as bad as one may have anticipated.
Ramya Ambostu, 34 | Employee-turned homemaker
The hike, after nine years, is not too bad in itself. But you feel the pinch when you account for the general rise in prices. Let the Railways offer good facilities at stations, including in the cafeteria, and quality food in trains. They should ensure cleanliness too.
Narayan Maskeri, 36 | Doctor
As long as good facilities and amenities are provided, the hike is justified. Use the extra amount in the interest of passengers. Railways must have a focused approach when it comes to consumers and should get its act together in providing comfort and hygiene.
Madhuri Kalgatgi, 46 | Homemaker
The hike may seem an additional burden for the common man at a time when you hear rise in prices everywhere. Fuel, vegetables, groceries are all becoming out of reach for the ordinary citizen. So even if the hike is marginal, you feel hit by yet another high price rise.
Vitusata Bharadwaj, 16 | Student
It's certainly not a bad hike. But what we urgently need are clean stations, good food, better canteens, safe drinking water and hygiene. The money should be used to improve infrastructure and make it world class. New policies should be framed to offer the best to citizens.
Rakhee Sadalge, 41 | Homemaker
While the hike may not be too steep, it may still affect the common man when you consider it along with rise in prices of all other commodities. Railways should now focus on better facilities. Everybody wants a clean and comfortable ride.
It's unfortunate and surprising that a third terminal at Byappanahalli station, commuter rail system or suburban services to decongest the city, and doubling of Yeshwantpur, Hebbal and Banaswadi lines were not taken up. We are also surprised that no trains have been sanctioned to Shirdi, Jammu or Amritsar, a demand that has been pending for 12 years. We also expected a Bangalore-Chitradurga line, an additional train to Miraj to serve the interests of Mumbai-Karnataka, an additional line to Hospet, and one from Hubli to Mumbai. But we welcome the line from Bidar and Gulbarga which will serve the interests of Hyderabad-Karnatak region.
Prakash Mandoth | Chairman, infrastructure committee, fkcci
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