Mumbai train fares to rise?
I read an article on the NDTV site which says there is the possibility of a hike in train fares in Mumbai, which would bring the average Rs30/- minimum fare for first class to Rs.32/-. The added funds from this hike will be used to support the loan taken from the World Bank by the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation - the agency executing the Mumbai Urban Transport Project. The amount of the loan is Rs.1,300 crore which is half the project cost.
This will mean an added expense to commuters, but will help repay the loan faster. Mumbai locals are an extremely convenient and fast system of transport for the middle and lower classes, and this hike might casue some concern to people who rely on the locals for quick and inexpensive transport. However, the amounts recovered and repayed will be quite huge considering the amount of people using the service, even though the individual difference will only be a couple of rupees. Ticket sales are expected to jump to Rs. 1080 crores per year from the Rs.900 crore that is currently the number.
I had brought this up in an earlier forum, where I had suggested a hike in prices for adding security measures to the railway system. While repaying the loan is a priority, with the recent bomb blasts and overall trend for terrorists to target public transport, it is becoming a matter of urgency to increase monitoring and block access tothe system from unofficial points of entry. I don’t know how much a communter either knows or bothers about loans from the world bank, but this surely would have them happy to pay a rupee or so in addition to their normal ticket price.
Suggestions from some of the members on the discussion forum included:
- Isolation of railway tracks by the construction of boundary walls
- Blocking of all access to the railway system except official entrances and exits
- Camera surveillance on trains, platforms, ticket counters, and entrance and exit points
- Metal detectors and other security measures at entrance and exit points
- Training of all staff to handle emergencies related with terrorism
It sounds like a phenomenal expense, but I doubt if it is impossible in reality. It is not as expensive as the development of railway tracks, or rakes. I think these are all very good suggestions and could gradually be covered with a rupee or so added to the price of every ticket. It wouldn’t be instantaneous, but the funds would surely flow to tackle one thing at a time steadily and then cover their maintenance as well later.
Perhaps, even extra funds from a station could directly be put to use developing that station, resulting in the more important stations naturally being protected first through their higher sales of tickets and greater number of commuters requiring greater security. It would mean other useful things as well. Helping investigate pick pockets, eve teasing, damaging railway property or spitting/littering, etc. It would undeniable make the railway experience cleaner and safer while requiring less personnel to monitor more factors. This could get our outstanding, but shabby service to admirable standards while setting a standard for public cleanliness and security for other areas of public life.
I feel that paying a rupee or so more would be a very worthwhile investment for something like this and people would participate willingly for something that directly adds to their experience rather than vanishes into a loan they are hardly aware of, even though that money needs to be recovered somehow.
I guess this is still a distant dream, but it doesn’t stop me from wishing that a hike in fares actually meant something to ensure my safety as well, even if it means a hike of two rupees in stead of one.
