Rail budget highlights: No hike in passenger fares, other announcements

New DelhiWithout tinkering with passenger fares Minister Suresh Prabhu presented his maiden budget for Indian Railways in the Lok Sabha on Thursday promising to balance passenger needs and longterm interests of the organisation and benchmark it globally on quality safety and reachThere will be no hike in railway passenger fares We will focus on improving passenger amenities including cleanliness Railway Minister Prabhu saidSuresh PrabhuEmphasising that safety quality of service standards and efficiency all suffered due to poor financial resources available with the Indian Railways in recent decades the minister said all this further fed into the vicious cycle of poor investmentHe also set four goals to transform Indian Railways Improved customer experience safer travel modern infrastructure and financial selfsustainability We will also create a separate department for taking care of cleanlinessThe highlightsNo increase in passenger faresNo new trains announcedTickets can now be booked 120 days ahead of travel date instead of 60 days now to tackle tout menace17000 toilets to be replaced by modern toiletsRailway cleaning to be outsourcedCCTVs to be introduced in select trains and suburban trains for women safetyOpen wifi to be available at 400 railway stations proposal to revamp the station redevelopment schemeNew initiative Online booking of wheel chairsNew bullet trains to run on existing tracksProjects worth Rs 96182 crore to expand capacity of 9420 km rail linesFour dedicated freight corridors to be completed this year 6608 kms of track to be electrifiedFeasibility report of high speed train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad expected by mid2015Rail budget videoRailway helpline number 138 will become operational 24x7SMS alert service to be introduced on train arrival departureMore general class coaches to be added in identified trains more AC EMU services for Mumbai suburban sectionRailcumroad ticket to be extended to many stations more trains to be added under scheme for ordering food while booking ticketsOption to book rail meal online from food chain outletsOperation 5minute to be introduced to ensure ticketless passenger get regular ticket within five minute of entering stationWagonmaking scheme to be reviewed to make it easier for private investmentSpeed on nine corridors to be increased from 110130 to 160200 kms per hour67 more funds for passenger conveniencePreparing 5year corporate safety plan to be ready in 3 months to identify annual quantifiable targetsFocus on rail connectivity in northeast and Jammu amp KashmirDisposable linen on payment to be available at all stationsToll free number 182 created for security related complaintsInvestment of Rs85 lakh crore in next five yearsRs 6750 crore allocated for eliminating 3438 level crossings 970 roadunderbridge and roadoverbridge to be constructedPlan size raised by 52 per cent to Rs 111000 croreOver 2000 suggestions received on improving facilitiesFour goals Deliver sustained improvement in customer facilities Make railways safer means of travel expand substantially make Indian Railways selfsustainableBudget part of trilogy White paper already tabled this budget vision document soonRailways backbone of national connectivityWill partner with private sector to improve last mile connectivityRailways unique integrator of modern IndiaThe functioning of Railways must conform to highest standards of governance amp transparency Railway MinFacilities not improved substantially over past few decadesVicious cycle of underinvestment must end1219 sections on network most of them overworkedIn next five years intention to substantially augment capacity