Commuters on the suburban trains here have demanded a rollback of the near 100 per cent increase in fares.
“In Mumbai, railways have been an asset for the working and the middle classes. This is clearly a bid of the government to increase the economic burden on the poor,” said Lara Jesani, a Bombay High Court lawyer who lives in Andheri.
“We should ensure that the hike is rolled back. They charge money from us, but we are not provided enough facilities,” Sadiq Basha, a Mira Road resident who travels daily to Churchgate, said.
On Saturday morning, Congress activists staged protests outside the railway stations. “The myth of ‘Acche din’ has been busted. The people of Mumbai will suffer the most because of the local train fare hike. We demand an immediate rollback,” said Pravin Chheda, Congress corporator who led the demonstrations outside the Ghatkopar railway station.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) too demonstrated against the decision. Congress State unit chief Manikrao Thakre announced a “civil disobedience” movement. “I will travel without ticket in the local trains on Monday as a protest against the fare hike,” he said. Sensing the discontent among the citizens, the BJP’s oldest ally, Shiv Sena, clarified that the party would speak with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I will personally call Mr. Modi to seek his intervention. We will ask him to reverse the decision,” said Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai. But a few commuters welcomed the increase. “I look at it as a welcome move by the new government. This was a much-needed correction and was pending for a long time. If we expect some changes, some modernisation and safe transportation, then we have to pay for it. The government cannot give these free,” says Sanket Chitale, a chartered accountant from Badlapur.
Abhijit Joshi, a media professional, said the new government must be given time before condemning its decision.
However, the government’s supporters found themselves in minority. “The price hike doesn’t make any sense. How can it be called reform when there is no other competitor to the railways? This is daylight robbery,” said Smit M. a postgraduate student from Chembur in suburban Mumbai.
