The countries where public transport is free say - Perth (Aus) with lower population; is because of higher income tax collected not just from citizens but also from migrant population. Also almost total compliance in terms of collecting individual tax.
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Here not even 1% of total population pays any income tax though many are above the threshold. With that collected direct tax and some indirect tax hardly we are able to feed our hungry children, let alone provide free transport.
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I agree that many political projects like bullet trains, steel bridge are just projects born out of corruption and hubris.
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But simply if you don't recover atleast some part of the operational cost and provide everything for free, the system will collapse. If you observe, Mumbai always enjoys a lot of funding from center and state compared to the rest of the country or Maha itself. Its high time they recovered some part of that; so that other parts of Maha and India got some funds for developing rail network.

I slightly agree on other points. But my point here is mumbai locals also environmental friendly. Railways not trying to change its structure which is wasting 1000 crs of money invested on project which are dead investment for decades. No proper plans to complete the projects.
Also running of Suvida, Flexi fare trains over all is a flop show. many LHB trains running at below 60 kmph avg speed what the use of investing huge money if they are not used to capacity ??
What about work force ?? ...
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Is railways thinking about automation and trying reduce work force in couple of years ?? Many things are not streamlined. Without doing all these things just raising fare hike card will not be accepted.
Let railways to come out vote bank politics and regional bias. Get better work force which helps to cover up 100 of times to fare hike.
Already middle class people surviving why to put gun always on them ?
If railways want to do business let it be in all not only in fare hike.
Even at last fare hike i opposed as its not scientific compare to bus and airfares. What happened now every month ridership of railways going negative.
Let suresh prabhu and his team thinks about major changes not these minor. Many small infra projects creates HUGE wealth for railways.