From Chinese Press

Reform must help passengers

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-04-14 08:02

The Ministry of Railways convened a meeting recently to discuss how to devolve power to local railway administrations. But people are more interested in measures that will benefit them, says an article in Beijing News. Excerpts:

The Ministry of Railways may have taken many reform measures such as trying to find ways to share power and profit with local railway administrations, but the question is whether they will benefit common people.

Under the existing highly centralized operation system, ministry officials seldom pay attention to passengers' demands. So the step to devolve more decision-making powers to local railway administrations can be seen as a breakthrough.

There are 18 railway administrations in China. And though they are portrayed as independent legal entities, in reality they are the executive arms of the ministry without independent management or decision-making powers on matters such as ticket prices.

Such a management and operation style is not conducive market norms in the true sense of the term.

The ministry has failed to adjust the transport structure according to market demands. Perhaps some of the "lavish" policies that have resulted in the increase of high-speed trains and rising ticket prices are to blame for that.

If local railway administrations get some management and decision-making powers, they could introduce some passenger-friendly policies.

After all, railway reform should be aimed at changing previous policies to make traveling easier and less costly for passengers.