New Delhi, March 13
Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi will have to walk a tightrope during his maiden Railway Budget presentation in Parliament tomorrow. It will be hard work to maintain a balance between improving the financial condition of the world’s second largest railways and continuing with the populist measures adopted by his predecessors.

While experts have been pointing to the fledging financial condition and decreasing safety standards of the country’s largest public sector behemoth in the wake of no hike in passenger fares for the past 10 years, reports emerging from the Rail Bhawan clearly point out that Trivedi is likely to follow the same path as adopted by his predecessors.

While the minister is expected to spell out a blueprint to upgrade the signalling and telecommunication system to prevent accidents in the upcoming budget despite financial constraints, he is likely continue with the practice of not raising the fares and freight rates.

Apparently under instructions from his party leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was also his predecessor at the Rail Bhawan, Trivedi is not likely to tinker with the second class fares, the lifeline of their vote bank.