This refers to the editorial, “Unfair fare” (June 7). It is very disheartening to hear that due to fear of public outrage and controversy over the proposed penalty on passengers carrying extra luggage in trains, the Railway Ministry decided to shelve the move and instead launch a ‘public awareness campaign'. Once again a political culture that has ‘public appeasement' at its core has led to the retraction of a well-intended decision that would have otherwise brought orderliness in Indian Railways.
Indian Railways should have gone ahead with enforcing its three-decade-old luggage allowance rule by slapping a heavy penalty for carrying excess luggage in trains regardless of the public backlash and condemnation of the move. There is absolutely no doubt that passengers carrying extra luggage cause much inconvenience to fellow passengers. With almost all modes of travelling in the country becoming more affordable for an average Indian, it is quite surprising that the very people who so meticulously follow travel guidelines while commuting by more sophisticated modes of transport, feel uncomfortable when the Railways intend to enforce similar rules. Transporting about 18 million citizens daily, India's vast rail network is the most heavily used in the world. Although passenger fares on Indian Railways are among the lowest in the world; subsidized by high cargo tariffs, it is claimed that Indian Railways does not even recover its cost of operating. Railways needs to innovate its working style in a manner that it guarantees better revenue. Though railways should not compromise passenger comfort, it should ensure that rail users adhere to rules and regulations. Therefore, it is recommended that the period of ‘awareness campaign' is immediately followed by stringent enforcement of the resolution.