CHANDIGARH: Railway passengers of all classes and categories will soon have to show their identity cards while undertaking a journey. This would be done to stop black-marketing of tickets and eliminate touts. The practice, of checking identity cards, is already there for passengers in AC coaches.
Speaking to media here on Thursday evening, Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said, “Touts take ticket 4 months in advance and start blackmarketing. It leads to problems for passengers. This practice needs to be stopped.”
Asked about increase in price, he said it is required if facilities are required. “We will ensure proper facilities to the public,” he said, and added that cost cutting would be done on things like food items. Many items provided in meal are not liked by people and these would be deducted, benefitting both the railway and public, he said. Food quality, the minister assured, would be improved and quantity reduced as per people’s choice.
On the fiscal front, he said, railways will have to take around Rs 40,000 crore from government in the current year. Last year, railways had taken Rs 25,000 crore last year. “We need around Rs one lakh crore more to bring the railway on right track,” he said.
The Union minister avoided mention of any special train or project in any part of the country immediately, saying many works need to be done immediately to improve the system.
However, he said there are plans for five superfast-bullet trains in the long term, including from Ahmedabad to Mumbai and Chandigarh to Delhi among others. (Agencies)