Train travel just got better for women, youth

Rail travel in India just got more attractive for Gen-X and women. The easy on the pocket special trains Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee announced in her budget speech have been cheered by youth and women.

Many said the budget is better than what her predecessor Lalu Prasad presented during his tenure.

"The ladies special and the fully air-conditioned trains would be a great help for women, from the safety perspective," said Roshita Prasad, a resident of Patna.

Prasad was reacting to the announcement of new ladies special trains in the Railway Budget presented in parliament Friday by Banerjee.

"First Sonia (Gandhi), then Pratibha (Patil) and now Mamata (Banerjee), with rising women power in India this great budget was on the cards. Finally, we won't have to bear up with the dirty comments of fellow passengers," a relieved Kanchan Tripathi told IANS.

The move to instal ATMs on 200 mid and small-sized stations was also welcomed.

"Even the ATMs would help since I do not carry much cash and hence being able to withdraw money from ATMs at stations is useful," Roshita Prasad told IANS.

"So far I had been travelling in three-tier AC trains and the cost was also high, but now the train fares will be reduced so it would help me. I can now travel in the ladies specials as it would take away my worry of safety," said Priyanka Chandra, a resident of Bokaro in Jharkhand.

Not only women, the student community too has hailed the railway budget, saying that for the first time someone has actually taken care of the students.

Presenting the railway budget, Banerjee announced 'Yuva Trains' specially dedicated for the young generation. The Yuva Trains would be introduced between major cities to ensure that the youth and low income groups can travel at low rates between these cities.

The new low-priced fast train service will connect youth in rural hinterlands to major metros/cities. The trains will provide air-conditioned seated accommodation and will run from point to point for distances ranging from 1,000 km to 2,500 km. The fare will be Rs.299 for distances up to 1,500 km and Rs.399 for distances up to 2,500 km.

"It is a really good effort and I thank the railways minister for making the railways even more affordable for students like me who frequently visit their home towns. This budget is truly made keeping in mind the youth," said Delhi University student Kunal Tripathi, a native of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.

"Our new railways minister has clearly said railways is for society. I think she will make a better railways minister than Lalu Prasad," Tripathi added.

Salma Rehman, living in Dehradun, said: "For students having to travel by trains regularly the new 'Yuva' fully air-conditioned trains would really be a great help, specially during the summer vacations."

Shashi Maurya, who is studying in Kozhikode, said: "This has been a very good move by Mamata. The youth train will be fun filled as during the whole journey it would be all youngsters and the trains would be air-conditioned too."

"Today's youth want luxury and now students with limited pocket money can travel in AC compartments during the hot summers. It is a fundoo decision," another student, Tanushree Sharma, told IANS.

The free monthly season tickets for second class commutation between school area and home town for girl students up to graduation and for boy students up to Class 12 will be extended to students attending madrassa, high madrassa and senior madrassa, Banerjee announced.

The decision of extending students' concession to madrassa students was welcomed by the Muslim community.

"It's a nice step, it seems this government is concerned about every section of the society. This step will help those studying in madrassas, especially those who come from poor families," Maulana Salman, a teacher of Arabic literature and Islam in Darul Uloom seminary in Deoband town of Uttar Pradesh, told IANS.

Last updated on Jul 3^rd, 2009 at 17:28 pm IST--IANS