| Railway Budget 'gravy train' to chug into Sonia Gandhi's constituency Rae Bareli by railenquiry on 22 February, 2013 - 03:00 AM | ||
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 railenquiry | Railway Budget 'gravy train' to chug into Sonia Gandhi's constituency Rae Bareli on 22 February, 2013 - 03:00 AM | |
As the country prepares for the presentation of the Rail Budget, there is a strong speculation in the Rail Bhawan that UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's Rae Bareli constituency may be the beneficiary of another project."There is something in the offing for the VVIP constituency with next parliamentary elections in sight. If not axel factory, there is a mention about a rail training institute there," claimed a senior railway board member, requesting anonymity.Rae Bareli is also the destination for a rail coach factory announced in the last Rail Budget before UP went to assembly polls. So is there a magic wand to put back "financially derailed" railways back on track? Perhaps not, as the railways operating ratio has touched 95 per cent. Will it be bread-earner freight or aam aadmi bearing the burden to fill railways' empty coffers?Minister of State for Railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "Passengers will have to bear the burden more, be it another fare hike or in form of smart surcharge, but we will ensure it doesn't pinch more." In a way, Chowdhury endorsed his senior colleague Pawan Bansal's occaoccasional hints at yet another fare hike. | ||