Fare Reduction an Eye-wash, Says Lok Satta Party

The Lok Satta Party today regretted that the railway budget had by and large neglected the laying of new tracks, although many surveys had already been completed. Only when new tracks are laid, more and more trains can be introduced to new areas.

Mr. D. V. V. S. Varma, General Secretary of the Lok Satta Party, in a statement today described the so-called reduction in fares as an eye-wash as the Railways had steeply raised the burden on passengers by converting express trains into super fast trains and increasing the ‘tatkal’ quota at the expense of the general quota.

Facilitating easy purchase of tickets would not solve the basic problem of inadequate services. For instance, the ‘garib rath’ being introduced between Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam should have been a daily service instead of one meant for three days a week.

He welcomed the concession in fares to students and women, although it might have been done with an eye on elections.