Minister quits after raising rail fares

India’s railway minister quit yesterday after he raised fares on the vast but creaking network.

Dinesh Trivedi’s decision to resign, and the fare U-turn that is likely to come, follows a recent pattern of India’s leaders announcing economic reform, but being too weak to enforce it.

Mr Trivedi announced the first increase in fares in eight years last week, a move aimed at shoring up a network that has become a drag on the economy.