Purulia Express: লালপাহাড়ীর দ‍্যাশে যাবি? চিন্তা কিসের লো? বিকাল বেলা হাওড়া থেকে পুরুল্যা এক্সপেরেস পাবি। - Dip

If India tries to join the list of countries where public transport (the name itself is a giveaway, don't you think?) has been privatized, then very quickly, whatever economic growth is possible will bite the dust. One or two developed countries in the West had tried to privatize railways, where they have excellent laws and fair popular representation in determining roadmapping services. Still, rail infra in UK for example is pathetic compared to other state run entities in Europe and they are considering nationalizing all over again.
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Now, we were talking...
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about developed countries with established frameworks and laws for the consumer. What happens in a country like India? Privatization here would be like breaking Afghanistan into pieces and being handed over to warlords for rule.
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Private players will suck these organizations dry at their own expense and like how Insurance companies in India (other than LIC) charge higher and higher premiums and settle lesser and lesser claims, what if X,Y, or Z company suddenly decide Chennai-Bangalore fares should be 200% of Varanasi-Kanpur route?, Or if the same companies ask for a ban on local/passenger trains along certain sections to run more Humsafar and Tejas trains? In the US, you will have a profiteering charge and within 100 days, the companies would be investigated and thrown out. And in India?
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We don't have political ethics to prevent private taking advantage of public nor a robust justice system to support them when they are abused. Socialism has its own problems, but socialism's problems are preferable to oligarchic problems.