Source: Financial Express

My answer to the question whether private players should be allowed to run passenger trains, is both a 'No' and 'Yes', depending upon the exact import of the question. If it means running passenger trains in general, my answer is a definite 'No'. But if it is for some special types of trains or in special segments, I would say 'Yes'.

Special trains, in the mould of Palace on Wheels, are already run on Indian Railways (IR) by private players under special agreements. There is scope for introducing similar trains in various states, under similar terms. If special passenger train operations are allowed in some areas, the licensee can own rolling assets, but track and locomotives would be owned by IR. This is on par with what is done in the freight business in which only container traffic, and not freight trains in general, has been opened up.

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Posted by pichu at October 23, 2006 2:34 PM