Railway passenger fare hiked by 14.2% with immediate effect from today

[NKVD]

For those who believed in a shortcut like that, I have no comments. Any sensible person would know that it would take a long time to adjust things.



It was Congress that put India in big economic crisis, that you claim that they were taking out off. Not once, but twice. There policies have been a failure, since the independence.

WHY are you trolling . Congress is grace to India Sonia-Rahul have legacy of great gandhi family We indians are lucky to have them as our Guides

 

[Bang Galore]

Not that it should have an importance, but if popularity is the key factor, delaying these steep increases to a time when there is more growth and more money available for the people, obviously is less of a problem than it is today.

I'm not sure that is good economics. The Railways is hemorrhaging, it has a direct effect on the finances of the state & on the safety record of the railways (even more than present)

It's not the decision to increase rates in general that is the problem, but how they do it and what they intended to do. Even if they ignore their earlier statements, a modest rate increase for the people and no increase for the freight now, with a steady increase over the next years could had been possible too isn't it?
Also the effect of this steep decision will be seen even in the next few weeks, when people simply can't afford to use the train that often anymore, because it's too expensive.

Modest increases would be like a band aid for massive internal bleeding. Are you seriously suggesting that a 14.5% increase is so steep as to stop people from traveling? Not that for most people travel would be a daily affair. Local commuters elsewhere pay price for diesel, i don't see why Railway increases must not happen.

But that exactly is the point! Increasing transport costs now does not help the industry. It's just a measure for the government to create more income and how they use the money will be seen only afterwards, while the immediate effect is as mentioned cost increase for those that must be supported now.

You make it look like the government is trying to squeeze extra money for profit. They are suffering losses. This will only reduce the losses, not eliminate them even.

 

[sancho]

For those who believed in a shortcut like that, I have no comments. Any sensible person would know that it would take a long time to adjust things.

What shortcuts are you talking about? Please explain.

 

[thesolar65]

When the hike was proposed by the previous govt , they were forced to rollback by the same opposition who is in power today. not to mention onions today touched 40 rs . so yes i am skeptical.
after all modi came to power promising a reduction in the cost of living , you must admit that !!! he has built up very high expectations , so he will be criticized for ever hike whether he likes it or not.

IMHO its high time we hiked the price.

Well, they had roll back because they were a minority and now BJP has got majority. Had it been short of 272 then they would not have done this also!!

 

[Kloitra]

What shortcuts are you talking about? Please explain.

That government would cutback taxes/levies/fares etc to reduce inflation. The govt is cash-strapped. It is widely accepted that India's food inflation problem can be tackled to a great extent by improving transport/storage facilities. Both require money. Transport cost in themselves are a small percentage of overall inflation, but it pales compared to what is lost to poor storage and insufficient transport. Railway has always been mismanaged, and a money dump for government. If a little hike now can improve the system, make it faster and safer, it would go a long way to fight inflation. Think about doing a daily job in a far away city, more goods be hauled at a faster speed and so on. Subsidies are no longer a valid policy.

 

[sancho]

I'm not sure that is good economics. The Railways is hemorrhaging, it has a direct effect on the finances of the state & on the safety record of the railways (even more than present)

But we can't put the needs of the railway above the improvement of the Indian industry and even I am saying that some price hikes are needed, but in a way that doesn't hurt the industry and hurt the public in a less problematic way.

Are you seriously suggesting that a 14.5% increase is so steep as to stop people from traveling?

I have seen news reports yesterday from students that study away from their homes and used to go back at the weekends and which stated they won't be able to do that so often anymore. For people that have to use the trains every day, to get to their work it's even more difficult, when the these cost of living are rising and you have no alternative to pay it.
You have to keep in mind in what situation India / Indians are today and the high costs are a burden for the economy in India as well, when the public can't afford to spend too much anymore. That's why governments usually ease the burden in such situations and not increase it and why I question this move.

You make it look like the government is trying to squeeze extra money for profit. They are suffering losses. This will only reduce the losses, not eliminate them even.

IF that is the aim and they can't eliminate the loss right now with this steep increase, why not a steady increase over the next years to a balanced level? Why does it have to be right now and so high? Because they need the money fast! For what needs to be seen, but as you showed reducing the loss won't justify that increase now, when you count the negative effects as well.

 

[Kloitra]

I have seen news reports yesterday from students that study away from their homes and used to go back at the weekends and which stated they won't be able to do that so often anymore. For people that have to use the trains every day, to get to their work it's even more difficult, when the these cost of living are rising and you have no alternative to pay it.
You have to keep in mind in what situation India / Indians are today and the high costs are a burden for the economy in India as well, when the public can't afford to spend too much anymore. That's why governments usually ease the burden in such situations and not increase it and why I question this move.

What kind of argument is that? It is a luxury that they were having, which most of the world doesn't, not even in a developed country. The fares Indian railway charge are a great luxury, which apparently is more than what most people in the country deserve. Why should railway bleed and put unnecessary burden on the economy?

IF that is the aim and they can't eliminate the loss right now with this steep increase, why not a steady increase over the next years to a balanced level? Why does it have to be right now and so high? Because they need the money fast! For what needs to be seen, but as you showed reducing the loss won't justify that increase now, when you count the negative effects as well.

Because, as it has been highlighted numerous times, railway is in severe need of money. This doesn't seems like last and final hike, but an urgent one which the previous government postponed being scared of backlash.

 

[sancho]

That government would cutback taxes/levies/fares etc to reduce inflation.

I never said that they should cut taxes...! On the contrary, I even agreed that price hikes to improve the railway system as such is justifiable. But a modest rise and in a situation when the money is available for the public and the industry.

The govt is cash-strapped. It is widely accepted that India's food inflation problem can be tackled to a great extent by improving transport/storage facilities. Both require money.

So are you saying that they will use the money from the railway to improve infrastructure and storages, which is unrelated to the modernisation of the railway?

If a little hike now can improve the system, make it faster and safer, it would go a long way to fight inflation. Think about doing a daily job in a far away city, more goods be hauled at a faster speed and so on.

No denying in that in general, but neither is it a little hike, nor does it include the financial situation of today. You can't hike the price like that only because the government might not have it right now and with the hope that it will have a positve effect in future, when it has a negative effect right now!
That's why I said, if they really would had raised the price a little and directly announce a constant increase over the next years, as well as for what the money is intended to use, a raise indeed makes sense. But like this it hurts the man that has to use the train daily to reach his job, while there won't be any immediate effect on the speed or the safty of his journey.[/quote]

 

[jbond197]

A perfect decision, we need to understand one thing we can no longer live under socialism in today's world. If people don't pay then how is railways going to upgrade the services and make it safer. Look at the recent accidents and you will know Indian railways, being cash starved, is not let to put much money to enhance safety setup. Is spending a few hundred bucks is worth more than the safety of the lives for those who are opposing this rate hike? Nothing comes for free, we need to pay for the services we get.

 

[Bang Galore]

But we can't put the needs of the railway above the improvement of the Indian industry and even I am saying that some price hikes are needed, but in a way that doesn't hurt the industry and hurt the public in a less problematic way.



I have seen news reports yesterday from students that study away from their homes and used to go back at the weekends and which stated they won't be able to do that so often anymore. For people that have to use the trains every day, to get to their work it's even more difficult, when the these cost of living are rising and you have no alternative to pay it.
You have to keep in mind in what situation India / Indians are today and the high costs are a burden for the economy in India as well, when the public can't afford to spend too much anymore. That's why governments usually ease the burden in such situations and not increase it and why I question this move.



IF that is the aim and they can't eliminate the loss right now with this steep increase, why not a steady increase over the next years to a balanced level? Why does it have to be right now and so high? Because they need the money fast! For what needs to be seen, but as you showed reducing the loss won't justify that increase now, when you count the negative effects as well.

I guess we won't agree. Your economic positions are simply very different from mine There is a reason why no money has been available to defence. Subsidies don't pay for themselves, something else gets scalped, usually defence & infrastructure. There is always a cost, just depend where you want it to show up.

 

[dlclong]

jai modiji

 

[arp2041]

No Offence, but Hypocrisy seems to be running in our blood.......

We gave 60 years to Congress & PATIENTLY watched them LOOT our nation & din't OBJECT at all.

But we are up in arms against a govt. which is not even 60 days old.

"WTF did Modi said ACHE DIN ANEY WALEY hai?? I want them from the DAY 1"

 

[pursuit of happiness]

Garbage in for 60 yrs now it takes time money and pain to get garbange out
before starting doing ACTUAL work
and that GIGO work is more painful

 

[Geek]

LOL Many people are crrying about Price hike here and many SP, UPA shits are crying on roads.
Indians want trains with 200 km/h speed, They want bullet train with 350 km/h speed like Japan and China.
They want Metro in every city.....They want world class passenger trains and railway stations
But with what? If our Railway lose 30 crore daily where the fcuk it'll come?
Indian economy is in very bad condition it need some hard and tough decisions to boost.

 

[pursuit of happiness]

LOL Many people are crrying about Price hike here and many SP, UPA shits are crying on roads.
Indians want trains with 200 km/h speed, They want bullet train with 350 km/h speed like Japan and China.
They want Metro in every city.....They want world class passenger trains and railway stations
But with what? If our Railway lose 30 crore daily where the fcuk it'll come?
Indian economy is in very bad condition it need some hard and tough decisions to boost.

--
those above parties are scred
they did not expect most indian saying OK for fair hike for good facility..
the messge by people to old politics and parties inlcuding BJP too
we are not fool atleast does not seems now
no ullu banao ing