(Image source from: Will Modi government roll back train fares hike?})
Maharashtra's BJP lawmakers have begun to object the steep hike in train fares announced by the Narendra Modi government. They want the centre to cancel the fare hike as the state will go into polls this October.
The new fare will be operational from tomorrow after which train journeys will cost much more than the prevalent amount.
Some MPs from the BJP and the Shiv Sena had a meeting with Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda today and enjoined upon him the need to cancel the fare hike in railways. Local trains are the life line of Mumbaikars, and more than 75 lakh commuters navigate daily on these trains.
The MPs stressed that the the new fares will have profound impact on lakhs of train commuters in Mumbai, who travel everyday from their home to place of work and the increased fare will now cost twice the amount they have been paying.
After the meeting, BJP's Kirit Somaiya said they got assurance from the Railways Minister who promised that the feelings of Mumbaikars will be taken into consideration.
Ever since last Friday, when the Railways announced a 14.2% hike in train fares, the Shiv Sena has been criticising it. Recently the party compared the fare hike to "a train being run over the common man".
The BJP and Shiv Sena have been in the opposition for 15 years in Maharashtra. But the 2014 general elections have increased hopes of the state leader as the alliance won 41 of the state's 48 seats. BJP and Shiv Sena leaders see an opportunity to grab power from the Congress- NCP coalition that has been in power since 1999.
However, the recent hike in train fares could stymie the BJP-Sena's chances to come back to power. The voters may feel alienated at a time when they seem ready for a change in Maharashtra, according to the state representatives of these parties.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other top BJP leaders have stated that the hike in railway fares is necessary. The previous government had refrained from increasing fares just before the general election to avoid the pitfalls of an unpopular decision. So the Narendra Modi government was forced to announce the unpopular measure.
The Indian Railways, which is one of the largest rail networks in the world, is having a major financial crunch due to years of low investment and adopting populist policies like subsidised fares.
Shiv Sena is the oldest ally of BJP and has been very vocal about the steep fare hike. So it remains to be seen whether the Modi government will roll back its decision to hike railway fares.
(AW: Pratima Tigga)
