For Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, the Budget for 2016-17 on Thursday could well prove his toughest hour. Expectations of a turnaround in the railways' breadwinning freight business have not been met and higher salaries to staff will disrupt expenditure statistics.

The finance ministry has made it clear any slackening in spending will be met by cuts in budgetary support. Also, the dip in crude oil prices that saved the railways Rs 5,000 crore in fuel cost is held by some to have eliminated the reason for a fare hike. And, high cargo haulage rates continue to drive customers ...