The Modi government’s maiden Railway Budget promising to make travel easier, comfortable and faster and doing away with populist measures is a step in the right direction. Slew of measures like SMS alerts for train timing, providing Wi-Fi facilities at 400 stations, user-friendly ladders for upper berths, 17,000 bio-toilets and installation of CCTVs for the safety of women will go a long way in enhancing passenger experience. The move to allow booking of tickets four months in advance and the option to buy a ticket within five minutes for unreserved seats journey is also praiseworthy. The Railway Minister could also have earned a few brownie points by keeping passenger fares unchanged. Overall the Railways appears to be chugging on the right track.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
