RAILWAY BUDGET :
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in his first Rail Budget announced a record investment plan of overs. 1 lakh crore in 2015-16 while sparing the passengers of a fare hike. The chartered accountant-turned politician also proposed a number of steps to increase passenger amenities.
Four goals for Indian Railways to transform over next five years:
a) To deliver a sustained and measurable improvement in customer experience.
b) To make Rail a safer means of travel.
c) To expand Bhartiya Rail's capacity substantially and modernise infrastructure.: increase daily passenger carrying capacity from 21million to 30 million: increase track length by 20% from 1,14,000 km to 1,38,000 km: grow our annual freight carrying capacity from 1 billion to 1.5 billion tonnes.
d) Finally, to make Bhartiya Rail financially self-sustainable. Generate large surpluses from operations not only to service the debt needed to fund our capacity expansion, but also to invest on an on-going basis to replace our depreciating assets.
c) To expand Bhartiya Rail's capacity substantially and modernise infrastructure.: increase daily passenger carrying capacity from 21million to 30 million: increase track length by 20% from 1,14,000 km to 1,38,000 km: grow our annual freight carrying capacity from 1 billion to 1.5 billion tonnes.
d) Finally, to make Bhartiya Rail financially self-sustainable. Generate large surpluses from operations not only to service the debt needed to fund our capacity expansion, but also to invest on an on-going basis to replace our depreciating assets.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The most-expected part about this year's Railway Budget - there is no increase in passsenger rail fares.
- Rs.8.5 lakh crore will be invested in Railways in next 5 years.
- 'Operation 5 mins', wherein passengers travellling unreserved can purchase a ticket in 5 minutes.
- Bio toilets and airplane-type vaccum toilets in trains.
- Surveillance cameras in select coaches and ladies compartments for women's safety without compromising on privacy.
- Rail tickets can now be booked 120 days in advance.
- Speed on nine railway corridors to go up to 200 km per hour.
- Wi-Fi in more stations, mobile phone charging facilities in all train compartments.
- Facility of online booking of wheelchair for senior citizens.
- Satellite railway terminals in major cities.
- Centrally managed Rail Display Network is expected to be introduced in over 2K stations over the next 2 years.
- All india 24/7 helpline - 138 from March 2015 ; Toll free No.182 for security.
- 917 road under-bridges and over-bridges to be constructed to replace 3,438 railway crossings; at a cost of Rs. 6,581 crore.
- 14 Four Railway Research Centres to start in four universities.
- 15 Details about new trains and increased frequency will be announced later in this session of Parliament after review.
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