No hike in fares, cameras in women coaches welcomed

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 26

The Railway Budget has evoked a mixed response from various sections of people.

Spokesperson for the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee Dhirendra Pratap said the budget was a farce as it had ignored the state. He asked the BJP parliamentarians to resign on moral ground. However, he expressed satisfaction over no hike in fares.

Another Congress leader Shilpi Arora called it an average budget. She, however, flayed the Centre for not sanctioning any new rail line for Uttarakhand. She said instead of proposing CCTV cameras in women compartments, the Union Government should deploy women constables there.

On the other hand, Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Ajay Bhatt, while terming the budget as an extraordinary, said the Centre had tried its best to improve basic amenities in the railways. A special focus has been laid on cleanliness and improving facilities like proving wifi connections at platforms and installing CCTV cameras in coaches and at railway stations, he added.

Brig KG Behl (retd) said the budget had been prepared keeping in view demands of the common man. He said the Union Government was focusing on improving basic amenities.

Dr BC Ramola, former state president of the Uttarakhand Provincial Medical Health Services Association, said the Union Government should work towards developing the rail network in the state.

Jagmohan Mendiratta, general secretary of the Uttaranchal Bank Employees’ Union, flayed the government for not sanctioning new trains for Uttarakhand.

He said although he welcome the decision of no hike in fares, there should have been some cut in the same.

Mridula Chandana, a homemaker, said the installation of CCTV cameras in women compartments was appreciable. She said the Union Government should make elaborate arrangements for providing foolproof security to women passengers.

State secretary of the CPI (ML) Rajendra, however, condemned the budget and termed it below average.

Lata Rani, a schoolteacher, said this was a progressive and well thought out budget without increasing the passenger fare. “It brings a lot of good news for the nation. CCTV cameras in women coaches is also a good initiative,” she addfed.