Chennai: Protests erupted across the state involving rail rokos at all major railway junctions across the state on Wednesday as the hiked railway fares came into effect from 12 am on Wednesday.
According to the police, over 2,000 persons were arrested for staging protests in railway stations condemning the fare hike. In a few cases, police had to resort to mild lathicharge to bring situation under control.
Among the general public, response to the increased fares was mixed. While ordinary rail users seethed with anger, the affordable lot came out with a long wish list as the 14.2 per cent passenger fare hike came to effect from midnight of Tuesday.
“I have to shell out an additional '35 to travel in a second-class sleeper coach to Coimbatore in Blue Mountain (Nilgiris Express). It is the money I pay for food in the pantry car during day journey.
So, the government has literally cut a meal of mine,” complained G. Ramamoorthy, a small time cloth merchant who shuttles between the two cities regularly.
While the more affluent lot using air-condition coaches to travel sought more amenities matching with the hiked fares, ordinary passengers cursed the railways for the fare hike.
“AC class travelers can afford an additional few hundred rupees, but what about us? An extra Rs 30 plus per ticket is no small money for an ordinary middle class traveler like me. I visit Chennai at least thrice a month. So I would be paying Rs 210 extra per month. Just take one look at the floor and toilets in the class-II sleeper coach, does it merit a hike?” fumed trader Senthurapandi of Madurai at Egmore, waiting to board Pandian Express.
However, there were a few like city based lecturer Prasanna Rajendran, a native of Tirunelveli, who was willing to pay an additional Rs 160 per AC-II tier ticket for extra comfort. “I don’t mind paying a few extra bucks even. But, the railways should ensure that I don’t feel sultry aboard an AC coach. I should not be scratching due to bed bug bite after the journey. I wish railways puts this money to improve the toilets as well.”
“I believe railways will clean the berth and wash the bedspread and bed sheets henceforth at least. I hope not to see soiled bed sheets like in the past. The extra money I pay is worth at least so much,” opined bank superintendent Geetha Krishnamurthy.
Earlier during the day, over 200 members of AIDWA, SFI and DYFI staged rail roko at the Chennai Central station in front the West Coast Express bound for Mangalore at around 11 am. The protestors raised slogans against the centre for hiking the fares to unreasonable limits and demanded an immediate roll back. All the protesters were arrested and later let off, police said.
Similar protests erupted in Coimbatore, Madurai, Nagapattinam and other major railway junctions. Police had to resort to lathicharge in Ramnathapuram, Coimbatre, Madurai and Vellore, according to reliable sources.
A joint press release issued by AIDWA, SFI and DYFI condemned the state police for indulging in lathicharge against the protesters and claimed that they were merely exercising their democratic right against the rail fair hike in a peaceful manner.
“This incident of lathicharge has once again exposed the police highhandedness in crushing a genuine dissent,” state secretaries of the protesting organisations said in a joint release.
