Kochi, February 27
The much awaited annual railway budget for 2008-09 was finally presented on Tuesday by the Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. At large the budget remains to be a people friendly budget, pleasing the ‘aam admi’. But still the new budget generated a mixed response here in Kerala with people applauding and also feeling for few more sops.
The budget has given some thing to cheer to every section, but the big gift which this budget offered to Kerala was the rail coach factory at the Kanjikode-Palakkad section. This coach factory will soon give a boost to the industrial sector of the state. Other than this, few new trains were added to upgrade the travel scenario and also to benefit the passengers. In this stride three new trains were added namely Kochu Veli- Dehradun, Kochu Veli-Amritsar and the Bangalore – Kochu-Veli Gharib Rath.
On the other hand the daily commuters shuttling between stations felt happy to get a new passenger train on the Shoranur-Nilambur route. But many daily commuters also expressed that there has not been anything to cheer for them other than the introduction of this new train. But for long distance travellers this budget has brought some respite, with cut in AC 1st class fares by 7% and II and III tier by 4-3%.
Meanwhile this budget failed to act on some key sectors like railway zones and various other railway development projects. Though women passengers were gifted with concessions and girl students will be given free monthly season tickets up to graduation. Railway Minister has also shown keep interest to make the railway more hi-tech and traveler friendly. So many plans are lined up in the pipeline to facelift the railways.
