This year has been no exception with a modest 14 new trains, extension of run for 10 trains, and the frequency of another four planned as compared to the almost 124 new trains and 32 run extensions and frequency increases of last year involving 640 new coaches being inducted into the system. In addition MEMU (main line electric multiple units) in four new sections DMUs (diesel multiple units) also in four and rail buses in three sectionshas been proposed to be introduced during 1999-2000.

In an attempt to get more `bang out of its bucks' the minister has also opted for increasing the composition of long distance trains from the present 21 to 24 coaches, thereby increasing their carrying capacity by about 14per cent. Undoubtedly a boon for long distance passengers, it will however, become a logistics problem for the commercial staff, in that the catering personnel, train conductors and ticket checkers etc., will now end up walking nearly half a kilometre every time they need to go from one end of the train to the other.

While promising more carrying capacity Nitish Kumar has tried to rationalise (read hike) the fares according to the extent of comfort enjoyed by the passenger and eventually his paying capacity. Keeping the fares for second class, which is utilised by nearly 90 per cent of the travelling public intact, and using it as the base, he has hiked the sleeper fares to 1.55 times the second class fare, from the existing ratio of1.4. Similar increases have been made for AC chair car from 2.8 to three times, in terms of AC three tier from 3.5 to 4.5 times, and 5.25 times from five in the case of first class, 6.4 to 7.2 for AC two tier and from 11.4 to 14.4 in the case of AC first class. Mercifully the suburban fares have remained untouched.

Perhaps Nitish Kumar's greatest contribution so far has been his willingness to listen to his team of experts in the Railway Board. Being an engineer, Nitish Kumar has not only been quick in grasping things technical, but also brought a refreshing change with his systematic and logical approach to administering this transport and engineering behemoth. Apart from declaring 1999-2000 as the year of the passenger he has planned a series of technological inputs to make their life more comfortable, starting with the extension of the interactive voice response systems, already in operation at 44 stations, to cover the entire railway network.

In order to improve the safe running of passenger trains onA and B routes, walkie-talkie sets having been proved extremely successful in enabling the driver and guard of a train to keep in touch with each other, the system is now being extended even to goods trains. Track circuiting is expected to be completed on all stations by March 31, 1999. This will considerably reduce any likelihood of train collision within station limits. Armed with its own web page on the Internet which details of train fares, time-table etc., the Indian Railways is now well equipped to answer all queries from the budget conscious passenger who can now plan his entire itinerary on the 64,000-km network without leaving the comfort of his home.

In an attempt to put the touts out of business in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai a larger number of trains are going to be covered under the `Tatkal' scheme which has proved successful on about 100 trains. While there are already over 400 stations which provide computerised reservation facility, the return booking facility which is enjoyed bypassengers in Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai and Secunderabad will be now possible from Chennai too from March 31.

Amongst other things, the prohibition of sale of cigarettes in all stations and on trains from June 5, 1999, (World Environment Day) would perhaps take the cake. The `Roll-on-Roll-off' system to haul trucks on flat cars on the Konkan Railway where there is greater head room may yield substantial results. The commissioning of RITES (Rail India Technical & Economic Services) to offer consultancy to the business community should prove to be quite a money spinner.

Fortunately, so far he has not shirked from taking hard options, including when faced with mounting criticism of working of Railway Recruitment Boards in a bold move last year he replaced the political appointees who headed the 19 centers all over India with serving railwaymen of proven integrity and capability, effectively cleaning up these hotbeds of corruption and mismanagement. Elimination of interviews for both C and D groups in most ofthe categories so that candidates are engaged on the basis of his or her performance in the objective test alone will now rule out any charges of favouritism and corruption on this account. With an employment base of around 1.6 million, perhaps it will be the most significant input for years to come.

The author is a former Railway Board member