Railway’s Kumbh Mela Surcharge is like Jazia Tax

Ever since Kumbh Mela has started this year 2013 at ancient city Prayag, TV News channels and print media have been bringing out many reports on the arrangements done by the government to facilitate the pilgrims. Everything was going alright and peacefully and the whole nation was getting tremendous positive energy by the good atmosphere created by the Kumbh. But then, as if in an anti-climax, an accident happened at Allahabad railway station which distressed all of us. But reading even little about the accident brings out many hidden truths:
 

Indian Railways had imposed Rs 5-20 tax called Mela Surcharge on everyone using its facility to reach to the Kumbh Mela. The surcharges are as follows:
 

Sleeper: Rs 5

AC Chair Car: Rs 10

3AC: Rs 10

2AC: Rs 15

1AC: Rs 20

The Target for Railways was: Rs 1000 Crores of Profit during the Kumbh Mela!
 

It was a shocking revelation that Indian Railways imposed a tax on Hindu pilgrims for completing their pilgrimage!!! Though there is some business logic in it – how could the Railways provide additional and exceptional services to the huge number of people traveling if it did not charge more? Total 10 Crore people were expected to visit the Kumbh and the number of foreign visitors is expected to be 10 Lakh! But the manner, in which the accident was handled, exposes the Railways to the core:
 

The Times of India reports that Railways had released only 50 medical boxes for the lakhs of passengers expected to come to the Allahabad Railway station on the Mauni Amavasya day. And when the accident happened, these boxes were nowhere to be found! And how did the accident happen in the first place?
 

The railway station was totally packed with lakhs of outstation pilgrims (who were forced by the authorities to leave the riverside immediately after taking the holy dip and hence had come to the railway station to travel to their places). Trains were running as late as 20 hours and were all packed. A train was expected to come at Platform number 4 but suddenly Railways announced that the train was arriving on Platform number 6! People rushed to change the platforms using the bridge. Then GRP (Government Railway Police) then lathi-charged (caned) the pilgrims to control the crowd! This created a panic in commuters who ran and stampede happened… It is clear that this was a “man-made” disaster!
 

Why I say Railway’s Kumbh Mela Surcharge is like Jazia Tax because the Railways taxed pilgrims but failed to provide then facility! Minister  “In charge” Azam Khan has resigned from ministry but it is expected that after some weeks pass he will be inducted back into the Samajwadi Party government in UP. 36 people are dead and so many injured. It is immensely sad the way Railways and the Government have used Hindu Pilgrims as Cash Cows for monetary benefits…
 

References:

Times of India, “No justification for Railways’ Kumbh surcharge”, TNN | Feb 12, 2013, 04.55 AM

Jagran Post, “Railways increase Kumbh Mela surcharge from 1st January”, 07 Dec 2012, 08:47 PM

Times of India, “Crowd mismanagement, change of platform caused Kumbh stampede: Witnesses”,  Feb 12, 2013, 12.40 AM