There are plenty of luxary buses, many of the brand Hino going to Bangalore. They go via Kalpetta and Sultan Bathery (Sultan's Battery). Most of these buses start at Cochin in the evenings, something like 6 PM and reach Bangalore in the Morning. Idea is that , while passengers, sleep, the driver keeps going. These drivers are chaps with good night vision, and with a good idea of where every pothole is. Buses and big, and even where there is an accident, deaths are rare. At least, we dont hear of them in the news papers. So Consider them safe.
Convenient and cheap, is train travel. But why do people opt for road trips like this. The point is that, rail seats are limited, and one has to plan and book his railway seat much , much in advance. Would Laloo prasad try to make money of this route as well. May be he could introduce something special like Gharib Rathh ( means poor mans chariot, for what ever reason) which has only airconditioned seats, and charges are like three times higher. Even so, charges are much cheaper than an air conditioned hotel room. Don't you see, these trains offer , sleep while you travel- in airconditioned comfort.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Rail is always better and cheaper
To see India, or to move from place to place, rail travel is the best option.
see how cheap is train travel, one has to do it and find out.
A five hour journey in an air conditioned chair car, from Cochin to Calicut, takes about 5 half hours. what you pay is less than Rs. 300 or something equal to $15. I have seen youngsters employed in IT industry, using their laptops in the train, and watching movies with their on DVDs.
Railways were built by the British and the Indians later expanded on it. One reason why rail travel is cheap, is because it is run by the Central (Federal) Government, and there are plenty of hidden subsidies. Railway ministers want to remain popular and go to all extend to keep fares down.
Most of these years, Railways required funding from the Central Government. But Mr. Laloo Prasad, a canny politician from Bihar, found ways to increase revenue. He increased loads per wagon, and rates per load as well. Freight is where the money was, and now (for last four years ince 2005) Indian Railways generate extra cash.
The turn around of Railways has drawn public attention.
Several IIM (Indian Institute of Management) as well as foreign scholars have noted Laloo's achievements and honoured him.
see how cheap is train travel, one has to do it and find out.
A five hour journey in an air conditioned chair car, from Cochin to Calicut, takes about 5 half hours. what you pay is less than Rs. 300 or something equal to $15. I have seen youngsters employed in IT industry, using their laptops in the train, and watching movies with their on DVDs.
Railways were built by the British and the Indians later expanded on it. One reason why rail travel is cheap, is because it is run by the Central (Federal) Government, and there are plenty of hidden subsidies. Railway ministers want to remain popular and go to all extend to keep fares down.
Most of these years, Railways required funding from the Central Government. But Mr. Laloo Prasad, a canny politician from Bihar, found ways to increase revenue. He increased loads per wagon, and rates per load as well. Freight is where the money was, and now (for last four years ince 2005) Indian Railways generate extra cash.
The turn around of Railways has drawn public attention.
Several IIM (Indian Institute of Management) as well as foreign scholars have noted Laloo's achievements and honoured him.
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