Roundup railway budget highlights
New Delhi : Highlights of the railway budget presented in the Lok Sabha Tuesday by Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal:
No hike in passenger fares
Superfast and Tatkal charges to rise
Annual plan for 2013-14 set at Rs.63,363 crore
Losses up from Rs.22,500 crore in 2011-12 to Rs.24,600 crore in 2012-13
Accidents per million km down from .41 to .13
Raised four companies of women RPF personnel; another eight to be raised for women’s safety
67 new Express and 26 new passenger trains to run; 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services to be introduced; run of 57 trains to be extended; frequency of 24 trains to increase
22 new rail lines to be taken up in 2013-14
New debt service fund to be set up
Will close fiscal 2012-13 with fund balance against previous deficit; need to build fund balance to Rs.30,000 crore by end of 12th Plan
Operating ratio of 88.8 percent achieved
Dividend reduced from 5 to 4 percent
Electrification of 1,200 km to be completed this year
72 additional suburban services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata
Rs.6,600 crore increase in earnings from fare adjustment in January
Rs.63,000 crore investment in 2013-14
1,047 million tonnes freight loading estimated during 2013-14
Passenger earnings of Rs.42,000 crore estimated in 2013-14
Indian Railways Institute of Financial Management to be set up at Secunderabad
Chair at Delhi to promote research in reducing carbon footprint
Winners of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Dhyan Chand awards to get free first class passes
Complementary first class passes for parents of unmarried posthumous awardees of Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra
Complementary passes of freedom fighters to be renewed every three years instead of annually
New forged wheel factory at Rae Bareli in collaboration with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd
Greenfield Mainline Electrical Multiple Units (MEMU) manufacturing facility at Bhilwara along with Rajasthan government and BHEL
Coach making unit at Sonepat in collaboration with Haryana government
Midlife rehabilitation workshop at Kurnool along with Andhra Pradesh government.
Railway energy management company to be set up to harness solar and wind energy
1,000 crossings to be energised by solar power
1.51 lakh vacancies to be filled up
Locomotive cabs to be air-conditioned
Azadi Express for travel to places associated with freedom struggle
India in 1 billion tonne freight club
By end of 2013-14, 1,500 km of contracts to be awarded for two dedicated rail corridors
Rs.1 lakh crore target set for public-private-partnership route
Free Wi-Fi to be provided on some trains
Rs.100 crore for improving stations in New Delhi
179 escalators and 400 lifts at A 1 and other select stations
E-ticketing through mobile phones
SMS alerts for passengers on reservation status
Next generation e-ticketing system by end of 2013
Seventeen bridges identified for repair
Smoke and fire detection system envisaged
Fire extinguishers to be kept in guard vans
Making corporate Safety Plan for a 10 year period (2014-24)
Introduction of Train Protection Warning System on Automatic Signalling Systems
Rigorous trials of indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System
Introduction of 160/200 kmph Self Propelled Accident Relief Trains
Elimination of 10,797 level crossings during the 12th Plan and no addition of such crossings
Six more Rail Neer bottling plants to be set up
