Revitalising our railways
Photo: Amirul Rajiv
The induction of a ministry for only the railway should bring some positive results. There is much talk on the subject, along with advice in the audio-visual media, and the newspapers have not remained behind. This is another addition to the list, but hopefully it is rational, though with a technical bias. However, the ideas are pragmatic and need to be addressed with urgency. Two items, according to the order of priority, top the list. First and foremost: the passenger fares and goods tariffs need to be rationalised in line with current cost base. Next: the proper repair and overhauling of the locomotives (diesel and diesel-electric) to ensure their reliable operation. These two issues should be given highest importance by the minister, and once these are resolved, attention needs to be given to improving the existing inter-city railway links. Given the bottlenecks and the frequency of tragic road accidents, there is every scope for rail transport to attract passengers. There is the potential of also cutting down passenger travel time compared to time normally taken by inter-city buses! With improvement in punctuality and improving general cleanliness of the passenger coaches, there is no doubt that railways will regain their lost popularity and position for transporting people. With these two main objectives I am sure that it will not be long before railways generate surplus revenue for the government. This is quite feasible; and if needed, once the advantages are realised, more capital should be provided for the railways, as it becomes the main artery for passenger and goods traffic!As Bangladesh is a densely populated country, the railway should be the most convenient means of transport. But during the past decades the government has closed many routes, shut down many stations and retrenched the workforce. While in India, the railway is a profit making organisation, in our country it has remained a white elephant. During the festivals the passengers depend heavily on railway to travel to their destinations. Passengers crowding even the roof of the trains have become a common sight. Now that railway has been made a separate ministry, we hope to see modernisation of the whole organisation. It is high time the authorities refashioned the antiquated infrastructure. The railway cannot continue as a losing concern anymore. ZabedWali On e-mail
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