'Safety First, Speed later and Beautification of railway stations much, much later' by K.J.S.Chatrath

Photo source: Financial Express

Rajdhani derails near New Delhi station, third city mishap in 32 days (Times of India, 8th September, 2017) - News.

I am a regular travelller by trains in India. I would request the authorities to lay emphasis on rail safety first, speed can come later and beautification of railway stations much, much later.

Just because France, Japan & China have trains running at over 300 kms an hour is no argument to copy them while our existing vast railway infrastructure remains unsafe.

The main component of train journey is the time spent in the train while it moves from the starting town to the destination town. Trying to spend millions, by taking foreign loans, on making the railway stations look like those in France, Japan & China is a case of wrong priorities. Emphasis should be on making the train journeys safe, punctual and clean.

Taking loans from foreign countries to run trains at 300 kms an hour, when the rough calculations show that the revenue earning model of such attempts would be pathetic, forcing subsidization for rich to travel min such trains and the burden will fall on the poor 2nd class passenger to fund the subsidization.