When they were laying booby traps for the next government, people were much aware of its ramifications.
Now travelling by train will cost you more. The passenger fares have been hiked by 14.2 percent while the freight fares have increased by 6.5 percent. The decision will come into effect on June 25 and is expected to revive the cash-strapped railways in the country.
The decision was in sync with Prime Minister Modi’s warning of tough decisions to improve the economy of the country. Interestingly, the move came before the rail budget presentation in the parliament.
There was a big outrage from the Congress party when the Narendra Modi government decided to hike the passenger and freight rail fare before the rail budget. Every Congressi on social media was busy in mocking Modi’s Achche Din and re-tweeting a former tweet by him when UPAII had planned to increase the rail fares before the rail budget.
The “ex-opposition” who opposed the move 2 years ago r now in “power”, implementing the SAME decision!#RailFareHike pic.twitter.com/5sqvOHPEPU
— ashutosh mishra (@ashu3page) June 20, 2014
But in doing so, they forgot that the plan to increase the rail fare was an idea of their own party. It was one of the many booby traps they had laid for the next government in the wee hours of their imminent demise.
Just like the circular for use of Hindi on social media, the UPA government had passed a bill to hike the rail fares. The UPA rail minister Mallikarjun Kharge had announced it on May 16 – the day Lok Sabha election results were announced and UPA was unseated by BJP – but after protests and criticism it was put on hold.
The accumulated deficit in the railways due to the UPA’s misrule and bad policies till last year lead the BJP rail minister Sadanand Gawda to approve the policy put on hold. Apparently, the railways is losing Rs 50 cr a day.
Interestingly, more than the Congressis and its sympathizers (along with main stream media), the people of the country have welcomed the move. Although there were mixed reactions, they perfectly understood the need for hike in the rail fares.
Some tweeted:
If former railway ministers would have gradually hiked the passenger fare at regular intervals…people won’t face the steep #RailFareHike
— Sambit Pal (@SambitP) June 21, 2014
This figure justifies #RailFareHike by Modi Govt.The way Modi is working is appreciable. #InflationExpress pic.twitter.com/VbsjE7uott
— CA Sunil Batra (@SunilBatra80) June 21, 2014
Dear @narendramodi, @PMOIndia.. Plz convience ppl.. Had Two Options.. Increase ticket fare or Shutdown the Railways!!! #RailFareHike #Losses
— Guru Charan (@alwayscharan4u) June 21, 2014
BJP implements everything dat UPA had planned to do. So again we are back to UPA’s mode of governance under a new name. #RailFareHike
— Simple Common Man (@SimpleCommonMan) June 21, 2014
Not a single Km of Rail Track was added in last 10 yrs as Railway had no revenue surplus to spend on it ! #RailFareHike a very welcome step
— Ranjitsinh Chudasama (@bk_chudasama) June 21, 2014
A 200km train journey is STILL cheaper than a 20km metro ride & the metro is NOT anti poor.Take money BUT provide facilities #RailFareHike
— Rashi Kakkar (@rashi_kakkar) June 20, 2014
The Congress party now needs to understand that people unseated it because they now understand all its tricks. When they were laying booby traps for the next government, people were much aware of its ramifications. They can outrage now, people will again celebrate after five years.
