How to raise money for Railways to provide better Services (Jan Bhagidari)

 Millions  of  people all over the world  are   train enthusiasts. I am  one among them.

Many  people are regular, dedicated, faithful, loyal   users  of  trains   even if the train services  are  not  frequent, expensive   and  more time  consuming than  road transport  because of it’s sheer convenience and comfort.

LET US FOLLOW THE BUS / LORRY  SECTOR’S  PRODUCTIVITY MAXIM ;  START EARLIER & RUN LONGER (avoid crowded  inner cities, serve them by slow moving , decentralized, frequently halting  local services)

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Are we using the UNI GAUGE SYSTEM TO THE FULL EXTENT?

Why still the  erstwhile  metre gauge   sections (now fully converted  to BG ) are not fully assimilated with existing BG section ?

For example, what is the benefit of terminating most of the trains  Chennai Central /  Egmore.

Let  atleast a few of the the  Egmore  trains ply up north to Vijayawada / Guntur / Nellore  or west to AVADI / THIRUNINDRAVUR / ARAKONAM  OR EVEN KATAPADI.

Like wise few trains via ARAKONAM proceed up to Perambur  as usual then proceed either north  to  Vijayawada / Guntur / Nellore  TOWARDS  or  south to Egmore  / Tambaram / Chinglepet via BEACH STATION

Let CHENNAI CENTRAL   TERMINUS be  like   BOMBAY CHRUCHGATE catering the city commuters 

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Why  we are not using the newly converted  BG lines fully?

What is the utility efficiency of Cuddalore – Vriddhachalam – Salem – Karur – dindigul   railway assets?

Also  Karaikal – Nagapattinam – Tiruvarur –Thanjavur _Trichy can be integrated with Erode segment more frequently.

Why we are not bye passing the crowded inner cities,  even after completion of loop lines ?

Trains from SOUTH towards  WEST  via Bangalore need not touch inner cities : instead they may proceed via Krishna raja puram.

Like wise Bombay can be skipped by running the  trains  via Kalyan and Vapi  towards Gujarat /  Rajasthan / New Delhi   and vice versa. People from the  west   and the north can   get down at  VAPI  Tto board the western railway  MEMUs   or proceed  up  to KALYAN and hop in to the central railway     

What are the benefits ?  More space for local trains and less crowd at inner city railway stations.

Imagine  the freedom to operate numerous  MEMU trains IN THE STRESSED RAILWAY LINE OF  THE MUMBAI RAILWAY LINE.

In  the newspaper industry the newspaper buyers are providing only 20 – 40 %  of cash flow.

Rest   comes from advertisers.

 Have we explored the possibilities of  the advertisement revenue  in the railway system?

 Apart from the travelling public, their friends & relatives , associates, subordinates etc.,  who are coming to the railway premises for   send off or  receiving   and the various service providers  and ofcourse neighbourhood  residing folks  spend a lot of calm /crowd free / leisure time in railway stations. THIS IS A HUGE POPULATION TO IGNORE. This segment is economically active and a   captive mass market for advertisers.

           

First let us begin with the name of the trains and railway stations.

For example,  Tamilnadu Express can be renamed as, say  XYZ Tamilnadu Express  by getting sponsorship money from XYZ.

Likewise Station  names   can be prefixed   with sponsors names / brands etc.

Here , the top brass must take the initiative.

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In reserved coaches we can double the  capacity  by permitting two people to occupy one birth. (    A small change in Railways's child fare rule could ensure the availability of 20 million additional confirmed berths or seats in a year for other passengers without the state-run transporter spending a single penny , while adding over Rs 525 crore annually to its coffers.

This could be made possible with the decision to charge full fare for children aged 5-12 if a separate seat or berth is sought. Till now, children in this age group were entitled to a separate seat or berth at half the fare.

Now, the half rate is still available, but without a seat or berth. In such cases, parents or the accompanying passenger will have to share their reserved space with the kids. Children under five years of age will continue to enjoy free ride (without a berth)

A lot of people are travelling in groups. If two or more  people reserve for their journey in a single reservation application,   they can be given an option of sharing their seats / births. It will reduce the total cost of travelers,  unauthorized  travelers in reserved compartments , reduce waiting list and   ofcourse increase the  revenue for the railways.

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Differential pricing  in railway tickets. Week ends, holidays, festival travel can be prized significantly more  and lean period journeys can be less expensive

All said and done ,  Railway development , capacity enhancement,   productivity improvement etc.    can happen only, if only if we accept ,  permit, facilitate, support and encourage investments and initiatives of every nature ( Private, Public , Co-Operatives, charities / TRUSTS, MLA / MP CONSTITUENCY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS,  Joint ventures - Local and foreign ).

 Please look at the rapid and enormous developments happened in the Education, Telecom, Electronic media  and road sector.  Even with  the  notorious   SCAMS &  bad loans, unfinished   projects, COSTLY TOLL RATES etc,  still the developments in these sectors propels our GDP, INCREASE THE EMPLOYMENT  & ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, REDUCE THE  chronic shortage     Supremacy of the railway transportation should be a national objective and obsession instead of the present road based initiatives.

 Economically and environmentally speaking, the road transportation should supplement and complement, not substitute, compete or dominate the railways and waterways systems.

 A  minimum required number of passenger / goods-trains and ships / boats
should have roll-on, roll-off facility for Lorries, buses and cars.
Even two-wheelers and bi-cycles may be permitted in select passenger
trains. This will reduce our total fuel consumption and will make a
significant dent in the number of accidents happening in our highways

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ORIGINATE  THE ERODE based  PASSENGER TRAINS at SALEM / KARUR  ;   

                    and

THE SALEM / KARUR  based  PASSENGER TRAINS at ERODE . 

 For example , two passenger trains commence their daily journey towards Coimbatore, by 7.00 am and 7.45 am  and ends up by 7.00pm and 8.00pm respectively.

Couldn’t we start them  (and ofcourse terminate them ) at SALEM / KARUR so that we can have about extra 120 Kilometres  of usage of these  two trains in the  crowded corridor .

Let us  do the same  for  THE SALEM / KARUR  based  PASSENGER TRAINS by originating  and terminating  at ERODE . 

Reduce the crowds at Tirupur, Erode railway stations by providing stoppages

at   the Somanur, Perundurai, Sankari and Kodumudi stations

The stretch between SALEM -   ERODE -KARUR   is being decongested by the recently

 commissioned  SALEM – KARUR railway line .  For a good measure  already the PALAKKAD – POLLACHI  GAUGE CONVERSION IS completed

And hopefully  on completion of  gauge conversion of  PODHANUR -

POLLACHI  section,  PALAKKAD - ERODE - COIMBATORE SECTION will have some   free space and time.

In effect, about 200 kilometres  of railway track ( SALEM – ERODE – COIMABTORE – PALAKKAD   electrified double track )  will have the traffic density eased.  

Why should not we use this opportunity to  reduce the crowds at Tirupur,

Erode railway stations by halting some more  trains at   the Somanur,

Perundurai, Sankari and Kodumudi stations

Think of the developments in the way side stations and subsequent revenues from them not only

from  ticket sales but also from VENDOR FEES, PARKING FEES etc.

And look at the huge benefits for the travelling public, less traffic in the road sector and  the consequent

reduction in fossil fuel usage.

Hope and pray Salem Division rail  authorities will oblige

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>  Effective and Efficient  use of existing resources    in the    SALEM DIVISION  OF THE RAILWAY SYSTEM .

( WITHOUT A SINGLE PAISA INVESTMENT )

1.      In the Railway Colony side of the   ERODE Railway Station,

Permitting AUTO STANDS,  BUS STOPS, MINI BUS TERMINUS, SHARE AUTO

STAND, Two Wheeler parkings,  car parkings,  and   ATMs of BANKS  will

reduce the congestion at the station front side  and will generate

revenue for the railways without single paise investment.

Above all it will reduce the potential for accidents at station entry/exit.

2.       The   ERODE – COIMBATORE  passenger  train     leaves   ERODE BY

7.00AM AND RETURNS BY 8,30 PM AFTER MAKING TWO SHUTTLE TRIPS.  It can

very well be extended to SALEM  by starting it at  SALEM by 5.30 am

and terminating there by 10.00pm.    It will help both Tirupur  &

COIMBATORE bound PASSENGERS  from SALEM onwards and vice versa.

Further it will make the small railway stations more active with

regular  passengers  (Industrial workers , students , and  small scale

vendors )

3.  Similarly,  SALEM -     YESHVANTPUR    passenger train  can very

well start at ERODE  BY 4.30 AM  and terminated  by 11.00pm (It does

not involve any additional expenditure, no new space requirement ; 2

new   passenger services for  ERODE – SALEM SEGMENT)

4. The poorly patronised   ERODE – SALEM   segment of ERODE – METTUR

DAM        can be withdrawn  and it can serve as    METTUR DAM –SALEM

– VRIDDHACHALAM- CUDDALORE – METTUR DAM   operation. (Puducherry,

Chidambaram  passengers will also  use it will be near to them:

ofcourse NEYVELI  and Saint Ramalingasami’s Vadalore too )  Passengers

 from Erode onwards    can still use it by boarding the Erode –

Yeswantpur  passenger train.

5. The   ERODE  - TRICHY  passenger train  can easily  be extended

to Tanjaviur  by  starting it at Erode an hour earlier.    Further ,

by clubbing     NAGAPATTINAM / NAGORE/ ANNAI VELANKANNI./ KARIKAL  bound

services  with this ERODE – TRICHY train we can integrate seamlessly

the  WESTERN DISTRICTS  WITH EASTERN DISTRICTS  . Tourism  will

flourish. All religious pilgrims  {Hindus, Muslims, Christians )  will

bless the RAILWAYS with revenue.

6.  Erode – Tirunelveli   passenger service can be extended up  to

Trichendur. (  Let us get the benefit of the UNIGAUGE  SYSTEM:  Let us

get rid of the shackles of long gone METRE GAUGE )

FOR COIMBATORE;

BYE-PASSING of the Coimbatore junction by long haul trains  and  the

railways proposal   for  DOUBLING THE IRUGUR - POTHANUR single

railway line is generating strong opposition from a  influential

section of people.

With due respects to them ,  I would like to  draw your attention to

the possible benefits  of the above plans.

Not long ago GANDHIPURAM is the only destination for all city buses,

mofussil buses, THIRUVALLVAR STATE EXPRESS BUSES and expensive but

comfortable OMNI buses. It was convenient to all stakeholders;

travelling public and their friends and relatives  who are sending

them off  / receiving them, both public and private bus operators and

their staff, Taxi / Auto drivers,  traders, lodging and boarding

houses ; almost all.

Then the Ukkadam, Singanallur, Mettupalayam mofussil bus stands  and

the OMNI bus stand near GP / ELLEN HOSPITALS were came into service.

Perhaps some more mofussil  bus stands may come up on AVINASHI ROAD (

peelamedu / kalapatti / CODDISIA )  and SATHY ROAD ( ganapathy). All

these new developments are not convenient to all sections of people.

Still we accepted it because of the inevitability of the change

necessitated by ever increasing crowd.

If we use same logic, then we will not only accept  but whole

heartedly welcome the   BYE-PASSING of the Coimbatore junction by long

haul trains  and  the railways proposal   for  DOUBLING THE IRUGUR -

POTHANUR single  railway line.

No TIER II city is so endowed with a super most energy efficient form

of Transport which is already available in our  Coimbatore. An MRTS

of ready availability !

To realize this potential, We must get away from the mind set of

Gandhipuram, RS puram, Race course centered city growth. Let us think

of Avinashi to Mettupalayam, Sathy to Pollachi, and Palakadu to

Somanur as part of Coimbatore Mega city

 We must treat Pothanur Railway Junction as  THE COIMBATORE DISTRICT

( or)  GREATER COIMBATORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY JUNCTION for all the

Traffic passing through Coimbatore (Tirupur to Palakad and beyond

Traffic).   What is the point in   routing these long haul trains

through Singanallur, peelamedu etc.  to Coimbatore city junction

(without any stoppages  enroute ) consuming fuel, space, time  (of

both passengers and railways ) without any tangible / intangible

benefit to the common city folks, except the harassing / harassed

shopkeepers and the taxi / auto operators.

Frankly speaking, What is our problem with the Pothanur Railway

Junction? Lack of connectivity,  is it not?  It is not at all a

problem : rather it is a golden opportunity to   develop  a new  Bus

terminus near Pothanur Junction  with town buses,  mini buses, share

autos, ordinary autos, call taxies etc.  for the hassle free travel of

railway passengers boarding / alighting at pothanur. In effect , we

will have a satellite railway junction immediately  without any mega

investment.

Thus freed railway line capacity between Irugur and Coimbatore

Junction via Singanallur and Peelamedu can be used for city commuter

traffic. THIS WILL BENEFIT ALL COIMBATOREANS (RESIDENTS AND VISITORS)

 It is not that we should abandon the Coimbatore junction. Rather, we

must make it more passenger friendly and congestion free for

Coimbatore city folks. Let us be very clear that all the trains

originating and terminating at Coimbatore junction should continue to

do so. Further, all the Coimbatore bound trains must stop at Irugur,

Singanallur, Peelamedu, Coimbatore North and some more stations/halts

to be created in proximity with Avinashi road (near CIT / CMC /

CODDISIA / IT PARKS), Avaram palayam Road ( near Sri Ramakrishna

Hospital),   Sathy Road (near Aswin Hospitals / Textool)  and a few

more if demand is there. In effect, it will make a significant segment

of the Coimbatore city roads free from traffic congestion. Especially,

it will make the Coimbatore junction    people friendly  and crowds

will be manageable. Also it will improve the connectivity and thereby

increase the  value of the residential / commercial / industrial

properties along the IRUGUR-PEELAMEDU-North Coimbatore railway line.

It will benefit not only the Coimbatore citizens but also the

frequently visiting populations from Palladam, Tirupur, Erode and

Salem, Palakadu, Mettupalayam etc, too.  And some more COIMBATORE

terminating  trains (both from Tirupur and Palakkadu ) can be extended

up to Mettupalayam so that we can reduce the enormous road traffic in

the Mettupalayam High way.  By applying the same principle, we can

serve commuters from Pollachi side too,  once the gauge conversion is

completed.

Perhaps,  Railway administration can discuss these ideas in

appropriate forums. { Coimbatore city corporation,  District

Administration, Railway  user groups, Educational Institutions, Trade

unions, CII and the likes, media (both print and electronic )

CODDISSIA, SIMA, SITRA etc.etc }