No single entity needs to be blamed for overcrowding in any train service (“ >Lack of trains to blame for track deaths: CAG ”, Aug.1). The inability to expand track capacity can be linked to the lack of real estate in our overcrowded cities. The only answer lies in laying multi-tier tracks. Vertical expansion is a lot easier than lateral expansion considering skyrocketing prices of real estate.
Gadepalli Subrahmanyam,
Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh
The CAG report is par for the course. It is ironic that while the government of the day is talking about bullet trains, the ground reality is that the government is also trying to bite off more than it can chew. The Delhi Metro rail model should be replicated across India. The government should also think of roping in private operators.
Venika Singhal,
Noida
The report must be read along with the incisive article, “ >Fixing suburban rail travel ” (‘Perspective’ page, July 13). How many of us know that collective inputs on passenger safety from over 50,000 Indian citizens were presented to the Indian Railways couple of years ago as a paper, “Improving safety in Railways”? Till date, there has been no concrete response from the Railways. Flying squads slap heavy fines on passengers travelling without tickets, but who is there to fine the Indian Railways for its fallibilities?
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
