Shatabdi Exp - janam-janam ka saath hai, agle shatabdi tak - Ananya D'Souza

IR is gradually becoming more and more fiefdom to IR bureaucracy
* ACI coaches attached to a large number of trains in last 10-15 years, to ensure comfortable journeys to eligible IR Officials. Earlier AC1 used to be attached in only one or two trains on main routes, but now it is very common. This is in spite of the fact that passengers prefer to avail excellent air connectivities rather than paying higher for ACI rail travel. And IR is losing on ACI coaches!!!
* Undue importance is given to Zonal/Divisional HQs in...
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matter of origination/ stoppage and berth-quota allotment to facilitate large number of IR officials posted at HQs with more trains
* and now relaxing flexifare in Raj/Shat/Duro trains to PTO availed by IR employees to ensure that premium trains too shall be meant for the IR employees, and general public can travel in premium trains only after paying flexifare through their noses!.
* It is surprising that instead to doing away with flexifares, IR is gifting the vacant flexi seats to its employees and continue looting the full fare paying paxs by charging exorbitant flexifares. Any organisation which keep its internal needs above the needs of customers do not survive, but IR can survive because of its monopoly. That is why, in spite of being inherently the most cost effective mode of transport, IR is continuously losing its market share to much costlier alternatives like road & air transport.
* The announcement of RM that private players should be allowed to own and operate rail lines and compete with IR, is the right thinking which will put rail paxs on top and IR could ill afford to continue operating with their whims & fancies.