NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1021: New Trains
The news about the marriage of the royals was the headline of all major newspapers for a long time. People did not talk about anything other than the marriage of the little prince and princess.
There was some dissatisfaction among some groups of people due to the emperor marrying the prince and princess to a commoner, but the vast majority were still very happy with the emperor's choice, because that made them once again see that His Majesty the emperor was really the sage they thought he was. Overall, the outlook and the general perception about the marriage were positive.
Soon, a news story attracted the people's attention.
Imperial Capital, Bengaluru, Parliament
A group of reporters surrounded an older man who was being protected by high-ranking police.
"The tracks built throughout the empire will remain under government control. These are public property, just like the roads, and the government has no right to sell them. However, in line with His Majesty's vision of empowering the people, the locomotives themselves will be sold directly to private logistics companies."
"These logistics companies, once they purchase the locomotives, may operate them as they see fit. But before you purchase the locomotive, remember this: the government will still retain a certain stake in your company to ensure we can take control of the locomotives during national emergencies."
"Furthermore, if you wish to run locomotives to transport people and cargo, the government will auction routes and schedules. These will specify which routes your train may travel and at what times. Some routes will connect one city to another, others will span states, and there are even routes that stretch across the empire."
"Naturally, the longer routes will cost more. And to ensure the licenses go to the right companies, we expect bidders for these routes to demonstrate logistical experience and strong capital reserves."
"As for freight locomotives, they are not bound by the same route restrictions. However, they can only operate when passenger locomotives are not in service. The only exception is near industrial zones. In those cases, freight trains will have priority, and passenger locomotives must wait if there is congestion."
"A sophisticated timetable will be finalised after the auction."
Nirmal, the Minister of Transportation, made this announcement in an interview with Bharatham Daily, drawing nationwide attention to the newly established Railway Authority of Bharat, a premier department standing equal in rank to the National Highway Authority of Bharat.
For all the logistics companies, like VRL Logistics and others, this was a capital feast. When the auction was held, thanks to manufacturing taking place in five locations simultaneously and Raya Power Company dedicating all its resources to producing the Bhalwan B-2 engines, over six locomotives had already been manufactured.
The six locomotives were quickly snapped up by the logistics companies, and they even decisively ordered more from the government. Despite there not being enough locomotives, they still bid for the routes and timings across the empire. The most popular routes were those connecting major cities, and the most popular timings were during the day at working hours.
As the proceedings came to an end, Minister of Transportation Nirmal said something that gave the logistics companies plenty of ideas.
"If anyone wants to lay down a personal railway track for transporting cargo manufactured by a large-scale company, to capitalise on a gap in the market, or for any other purpose, it can be granted. However, it would require the signatures of all the Panchayats through which your proposed track will pass. With this approval, the government will lay down the track for you. "
" But, keep in mind: even if the maintenance of the track is handled by the government, the cost of its construction will be borne entirely by the organisation requesting it. Furthermore, if the track does not prove as useful as the organisation anticipated, the government will not be held responsible."
" In this situation, the track will be deemed dead, and all maintenance will be stopped, and if actions are not taken to restore the track within 5 years, the track land will once again fall into the hands of the Panchayat or the government, and will be treated as any other land. If someone wants to purchase this land, it will be sold without any consideration for the tracks. "
"However, one benefit of this private laying of tracks is that you get to determine which locomotives will travel on the track and at what times. In essence, even though the government still owns the tracks, it no longer has the right to auction off the routes or timings; that authority is left to the private organisation that laid down the track."
This excited many people, because even though the minister's words sounded strict, the government's allowing private tracks to be laid at all was a huge advantage. It should be noted that most of the tracks in the empire connect only the major cities. There were still many regions with heavy traffic that had no tracks. Now, they could become extremely rich by simply laying a track in these areas and collecting fees from the logistics companies running the trains, who would reject such an offer?
Many people wanted to immediately act on their ideas, but their thoughts were cut off by Nirmal because the government will not be laying down the tracks for private organisations until the current track-laying project in the north of the empire is completed.
Although a lot of people were disappointed, it was still acceptable.
In such a way, after a gradual buildup over a span of a month, the news was finally broken to the public about the locomotives that are in operation and their timings, fee structures, and everything else.
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Muruga Das and his daughter Prakruti eagerly stood on the platform of Bengaluru railway station, surrounded by dozens of people just like them.
Muruga was not new to the railway station, as he had been here countless times before when he had to get on the elephant carriage, but now it was completely different. On the tracks where locomotives ran, elephants were completely banned. Bengaluru, being the imperial capital of the empire, naturally had all of its tracks occupied by locomotives. Although there were still only four tracks leading to four different states in the southern part of the empire, due to the southern part of the empire generally being more developed, even considering the current development going on in the northern part of the empire, the bidding for these tracks and good timings was very fierce.
" I wonder what it will be like," his daughter muttered.
" I wondered that too," Muruga chimed in.
And this was not only Muruga Das himself and his daughter, but he could hear all the people talking about the locomotive in anticipation. He even saw some foreigners waiting on the corner with anticipation and eagerness.
Looking at all this, he could not help but sigh at how the empire had improved and developed. If he, as a 10-year-old child, saw everything that the empire has become today, he would not dare to recognise that he was living in the same empire. 'Would I think that I'm abducted by some aliens in her majesty's works?' Thinking about it, he couldn't help but laugh.
Kavya's new work was released a few months ago, and the premise was about humanity developing so much that they have reached the stars, but they are not alone in the stars, and there is a fight for resources everywhere. Like always, leading the trend, she became the most selling fiction writer in the world, proving why she held the title, the Empress of Novels.
Just then, a high-pitched noise rang out, drawing everyone's attention. In the distance down the track, a steel machine slowly approached, like a gigantic beast, looking immensely imposing, with its horn spewing steam as if it were the nostrils of an angry creature.
Prakruti was visibly startled, and she kept stepping back. Muruga Das was no different; he took a few steps back as his heart began to palpitate, and the others on the platform were no different. The truth that this machine would not stop for anyone in its path and that anyone who fell under its wheels would be crushed terrified the crowd. But thankfully, as the locomotive came to a halt, everyone calmed down.
Muruga Das only now began to notice the details. The locomotive bore the familiar logo, VRL, but instead of "Logistics," it now read "VRL Travels." Someone emerged from the locomotive and began shouting.
" All aboard, come in a queue and give me the tickets."
Soon, the man who came out, who turned out to be the ticket collector, looked at his and his daughter's tickets and let them in after punching the tickets. He was asked to find his seat and sit down according to the ticket. He was given B4 and his daughter B5. He did not understand what this number meant, but after entering the carriage, he was shocked. It was so spacious, and it was nothing like the horse-drawn or even elephant-drawn carriages before. It was so wide that it looked like a fusion of two elephant-drawn carriages. Also, when he immediately saw the numbers on the wall, he understood what those numbers on the ticket meant. He was quickly seated and looked around in amazement.
" It's amazing, isn't it?" an old man, who happened to become the neighbour, casually chatted.
" It really is."
" Fate can be so mysterious. In my youth, even getting on a carriage was a miracle for me, but now in my old age, I am even getting on marvels like these."
" ... "
Suddenly, with a jerk, the train began to move slowly, causing everyone to stick their heads close to the railings of the windows, trying their best to peek at the engine at the front. As the train began to speed up, a few exclamations and yells of amazement were heard. A foreigner yelling, " Oh Lord Jesus Christ," was also heard, causing everyone to calm down. After all, they didn't want to be the same as the country bumpkins from Europe.
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