Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi, July 04: True to her promise of presenting a ‘pro-poor’ budget, Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a slew of passenger friendly amenities while avoiding a fare hike and freight rate hike.
Among the major highlights of the budget, are the construction of 50 world class stations, better food for passengers, environment friendly toilets, ticketing facilities from post offices, and non stop trains.
Sprinkling her speech with quotes and smattering of Hindi, Mamata emphasised `social viability` as against `economic viability` for the Railway budget.
"People all over the country have high expectations from the railway budget," Banerjee told the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, in her 65-minute speech setting the tone of the third budget of her career and the first for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
"Time has come when our economic and social philosophers have to change their old mindsets of economic viability and replace it with social viability and uplift," she said, proposing a plan expenditure of Rs.40,745 crore (Rs.407.45 billion/$8 billion).
“The Railways is a mission and vision,” she said.
Highlights
Press correspondents to be given 50% discount along with spouse
Student concession: High Madrassa and Senior Madrassa students to be included in discount scheme
Rs 25 per month ticket without surcharge for unorganized sector employees under ‘Izzat’ scheme for people with salary upto 1500
Members of press to get an enhanced concession of 50 percent instead of existing 30 percent, and once a year, their spouses, too, can also travel with 50 percent concession
National sportspersons to be preferred at in recruitment
E-ticketing to be enhanced, simplified
Yuva trains dedicated specifically for the young generation to cost Rs.299 for distances up to 1,500 km and Rs.399 for up to 2,500 km
Unreserved ticketing terminals to be expanded from 5000
to 8000
Automatic ticket vending machines to be increased
Computerised issuance of tickets from 5000 post offices
SMS updates to indicate berth and confirmation status
Railways to develop cold storages and temperature-controlled perishable cargo centres for farmers to store
vegetables and fruits
Tests on environment friendly, green toilets
Mobile ticketing vans for purchase in local markets: 50 such vans to be introduced
Vacuum toilets in trains
Railway hospitals to be upgraded
Ambulance services for passenger in metro cities to start
Online infotainment services in major long distance trains including Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains
PRS is now in 800 locations with more than 600 terminals, will cover 200 locations more
All MPs can now identify one PRS location of their choice in their constituencies
Automated ticketing vendors in 200 large stations
AC double decker coaches for intercity travel
ADGM of each zone will be responsible for supervision
At least one doctor in long distance trains
Punctuality, safety, good food, water and toilet facilities. Also emphasis on cleanliness
To launch ‘janata khana’ with regional cuisines
Target mechanised maintenance of 3,500km in FY10
Seven nursing colleges to be set up on Railway land in
places including Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.
50 stations to be upgraded to world class standards (list at the end)
49 stations to be developed al pilgrim centres
Railway medical colleges to be developed along with Railways
hospitals on public-private partnership.
Multi-functional complexes with shopping malls, food stalls, medicines and variety stores in different parts of the country.
A new coach factory with state-of-the-art facilities, exclusively for manufacturing 500 coaches per annum to be set up at Kanchrapara in West Bengal.
Work on coach factory in Rae Bareli to be speeded up.
Mega logistics hubs in Eastern and Western corridors
Colleges on Rail land on Public-Private Partnership
To set up 1000 MW power plant
309 out of 375 stations will be developed with modern facilities
Optic fibre network to be optimised
Rail over and under bridges: Centre-state funding to be reviewed
To put Railways land to productive use along freight corridor
Private operation of freight terminals will be encouraged
To use Rail Land Bank for industrial purpose
Viability study for 4 new dedicated freight corridors
18,000 wagons to be acquired during the current year, says Banerjee.
Plan to improve workshop efficiency
Upgradation of Railway printing presses
Mega logistics hubs proposed
Premium freight services
Tuglakabad and Chennai
Tuglakabad to Mumbai
Tuglakabad to Howrah
To load 403.5 mln tn coal in FY10
Freight corridor renamed Diamond Rail Corridor
High-capacity air-conditioned double-decker trains to be
introduced on select inter-city routes, says Banerjee.
Superfast parcel express trains to be started on a pilot basis between Delhi and Chennai and Delhi and Mumbai.
Now in south, south western Railways in 2 years
Yuva train: AC seat @ Rs 299 upto 1500 kms and Rs 399 for upto 2500 kms
Mumbai to Delhi and Delhi to Kolkata
Plan warehouses to curb wastage of perishable freight
Only ladies special trains in kolkata, Delhi and Chennai
‘Turonto’ Trains to be introduced. These will be non-stop trains between major stations. 12 new AC sleeper non-stop trains
New non-stop trains announced between:
Delhi-Lucknow
Delhi-Sealdah
Delhi-Jammu
Howrah-Mumbai
Mumbai-Ahmedabad
Delhi-Chennai
Delhi-Pune
Delhi-Allahabad
Sealdah-Delhi
Kolkata-Amritsar
Ernakulam-Delhi
Bhubaneswar-Delhi
Increase of frequency of trains on Key Routes
To launch superfast parcel services to include Delhi and Howrah
Work on completion of Kashmir Rail Project
Specific security arrangement at 140 stations
Commando battalions and women battalions to be raised
Security will be priority: both on stations and on board
Ramps, special bogeys for physically challenged and senior citizens
ACD has been made operational in more than 1000 km in North Frontier Railways
Integrated security system for 140 sensitive stations
Commando unit to be raised, women unit also there
Integrated security system across stations
Thrust to improve staff quarters
Indoor stadiums in many divisions
Staff benefit fund increased to Rs 350
Scholarship for children of group D
Nursing schools in: Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Jabalapur
Medical colleges in Bilaspur, Nagpur, Bhopal, Trivandrum, Hajipur, Ahmedabad
Scholarship for girl children of Rail employees
New policy to be launched for construction and operation
of private freight terminals
Railways making efforts with Department of Heavy
Industries for takeover of ailing wagon manufacturing units
like Burn Standards
Aim to fill SC/ST backlog
Railway recruitment process to be reviewed
Panel under Sam Pitroda to look at utilisation of Railways optic fibre network
To set up panel to look at innovative financing for unviable projects
IRFC to issue Tax Free Bonds
To give private siding nod for freight carriage
New policy planned for multi-model logistics park
Balance sheet
Increase of Budgetary outlay by Rs 5000 crore
Freight Target For 2009/10 Set at 882 Mln Tonnes
High targets set in interim budget not sustainable
Freight cargo up 5 pct in 2008/09
Railway loaded 833 million tonne cargo FY 09
Aim for 54.79 bln rupees dividend in FY10
Annual plan outlay 407.40 bln in FY10
To spend 17.5 bln on gauge conversion
FY10 Traffic receipts seen at 884.2 bln
Cash surplus before dividend 174 bln rupees
To disburse 136 bln rupee under pay panel wage hike
Expect 1 bln rupee invest via PPP in FY10
Foreign venture fund needs 1 mln commitment for registration
Aim 585 bln rupee revenue via goods in FY10
Aim 243 bln rupee revenue via CCIL platform
To encourage private ownership of commodity rolling stocks
To encourage private ownership of freight terminals
FY10 total receipts seen at 906 bln rupees
To spend 17.5 bln rupee on gauge conversion
To spend 19.4 bln rupee more on national projects
Tatkal cheaper by Rs 50 booking time down to 3 days from 5
Kolkata Metro to be expanded
Temperature controlled cargo centres
Idea to increase outreach of Handicraft industry
To introduce inter-city double-decker AC coaches
Metro Rail Hospital at Tollygunj to be upgraded
Dedicated freight corridor
Eastern corridor extended upto Dankuni
To focus on signal modernization
Private operations of freight terminal to be encouraged
List of new trains
57 new trains service are proposed in the Railway Budget for 2009-10. This was announced by the Minister of Railway, Kumari Mamata Banerjee in Parliament on Friday. These are:
1. Vishakhapatnam – Secunderabad – Mumbai Superfast (Bi-weekly).
2. Sriganga Nagar – Delhi – Nanded Superfast (Weekly)
3. New Jalpaiguri – Sealdah Superfast (Tri-weekly)
4. Bangalore – Hubli – Solapur Superfast (Tri-weekly)
5. Howrah – Bangalore Superfast (weekly)
6. Pune – Daund-Solapur Superfast (Daily)
7. Ranchi-Howrah (3 days via Ghatshila-Kharagpur and 3 days via Asansol) Intercity (6 days a week)
8. Kamakhya-Puri Express (Weekly)
9. Jabalpur-Ambikapur Express (Tri-weekly)
10. Gandhidham-Howrah Superfast (Weekly)
11. Delhi-Sadulpur Express (Tri-weekly)
12. Ajmer-Bhopal Express (by intergration of 9655/56 Ajmer-Ratlam and 9303/04 Ratlam- Bhopal express trains) (Daily)
13. Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Jn. (Thiruvananthapuram) Superfast (Weekly)
14. Mumbai-Karwar Superfast (Tri-weekly)
15. Durg-Jaipur Express (Weekly)
16. Dibrugarh Town-Chandigarh Express (Weekly)
17. Delhi-Farakka Express (Bi-weekly)
18. Hazrat Nizmmudin-Bangalore Rajdhani Express (Tri-weekly) via Kacheguda
19. New Jalpaiguri-Delhi Express (Bi-weekly) via Barauni
20. Mumbai-Varanasi Superfast (Daily)
21. Mysore-Yesvantpur Express (Daily)
22. Koraput-Rourkela Express (Daily) via Rayagada
23. Agra-Ajmer Intercity Superfast (Daily)
24. Mumbai-Jodhpur-Bikaner Superfast (Bi-weekly)
25. Agra-Lucknow Junction Intercity (Daily)
26. Hapa-Tirunelveli Jn. Superfast (Bi-weekly) via Thiruananthapuram
27. Gwalior-Bhopal Intercity Express (5 days a week) via Guna
28. Kanyakumari-Rameshwaram Express (Tri-weekly) via Madurai
29. Howrah-Haridwar Superfast (5 days a week)
30. Varanasi-Jammu Tawi Superfast (Daily)
31. Gorakhpur-Mumbai Superfast (Daily)
32. New Delh-Guwahati Rajdhani Express (Weekly) via Muzaffarpur
33. Veraval-Mumbai Link Service (Daily)
34. Ranchi-Patna Jan Shatabadi Express (Daily)
35. Jhansi-Chhindwara Express (Bi-weekly) via Bina-Bhopal
36. Mumbai-Jodhpur Express (Weekly)
37. Jamalpur-Gaya Passenger (Daily)
38. Jhajha-Patna MEMU (Daily)
39. Kanpur-New Delhi Shatabdi Express (6 days a week)
40. Bhopal-Lucknow-Pratapgarh Superfast (Weekly)
41. Lucknow-Rae Bareli-Bangalore Superfast (Weekly)
42. Shimoga-Bangalore Intercity Express (Daily)
43. Mdurai-Chennai Express (Bi-weekly)
44. Guwahati-New Cooch Behar Express Intercity (Daily)
45. Balurghat-New Jalpaiguri Express (Daily) via Kishanganj
46. Alipurduar-New Delhi Jalpaiguri Express Intercity (Daily) via Siliguri
47. Dharmanagar-Agartala Fast Passenger (Daily)
48. Rewari-Phulera Passenger (Daily) via Ringus
49. Shoranur-Nilambur Road Passenger (Daily)
50. Coimbator-Shoranur Passenger (Daily)
51. Mathura-Kasganj Passenger (Daily)
52. Farakka-Katwa-Azimganj-Nawadwip Dham Express (Daily)
53. Bangalore-Kochuveli Superfast (Weekly)
54. Kolkata-Rampurhat Express (Daily)
55. New Jalpaiguri-Digha Express (Weekly)
56. Purulia-Howrah Express (Bi-weekly)
57. Kolkata-Bikaner Express (Weekly) via Nagore
Increase in frequency of 13 trains
1. 2685/2686 Chennai-Mangalore from 3 days to daily.
2. 2423/2424 New Delhi-Guwahati Rajdhani Express from 5 days to 6 days.
3. 2443/2444 New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express from 2 days to 4 days.
4. 7091/7092 Secunderabad-Patna from 2 days to daily.
5. 2739/2740 Secunderabad-Vishakapatnam Express from 4 days to daily.
6. 2111/2112 Amravati-Mumbai Express from 3 days to daily.
7. 2957/2958 Ahmedabad-New Delhi Rajdhani Express from 6 days to daily.
8. 2149/2150 Pune-Patna Express from 4 days to daily.
9. 2487/2488 Jogbani-Delhi Express from 5 days to daily.
10. 2823/2824 Nizammudin-Durg Chhatisgarh Sampark Kranti from 2 days to 3 days.
11. 2985/2986 Sealdah-Jaipur Express from 2 days to daily.
12. 2905/2906 Porbander-Howrah (via Hapa) from 2 days to 3 days.
13. 4207/4208 Delhi-Pratapgarh Padmavat Express from 3 days to daily.
27 trains extended
1. 6517/6518 Bangalore-Mangalore to Kannur (Daily)
2. 329/330 Andal-Sainthia to Rampur haat (Daily)
3. 1105/06 Jhansi-Barrackpore to Kolkata (Weekly)
4. 6787/6788 Madurai-Jammu Tawi to Tirunelveli (Weekly)
5. 7013/7014 Hyderabad-Usmanabad to Pune (Tri-weekly)
6. 2075/2076 Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam to Kozhikode (Daily)
7. 213/214 Mysore-Tirupati ti Chamraj Nagar (Daily)
8. 2329/2330 Sealdah-New Delhi to Amritsar (Weekly)
9. 5761/5762 Ranchi-Alipurduar to Guwahati (Bi-weekly)
10. 9269/9270 Porbandar-Bapudham Motihari to Muzaffarpur (Bi-weekly)
11. 1471/1472 Jabalpur-Bhopal Express to Indore (Daily)
12. 6885/6886 Ernakulam-Tiruchchirappalli to Nagore (Daily)
13. 2177/2178 Howrah-Agra Cantt Chambal Express Mathura (Weekly)
14. 3113/3114 Kolkata-Murshidabad Hazarduari Express to Lalgola (Daily)
15. 2993/2994 Mumbai-Jaipur Express to Delhi (Tri-weekly)
16. 2555/2556 Gorakhpur-Bhiwani to Hissar (Daily)
17. 2685/2686 Mangalore-Chennai to Puducherry (Weekly)
18. 2143/2144 Nagpur-Gaya Deekshabhoomi Express to Chhatarpati Sahuji Maharaj terminal Kolhapur on one side and to Dhanbad on the other side (Weekly)
19. 2725/2726 Banglore-Hubli Intercity to Dharwar (Daily)
20. 8425/8426 Raipur-Bhubaneswar to Puri (Daily)
21. 8413/8414 Paradeep – Bhubaneswar to Puri (Daily)
22. 8415/8416 Puri-Kendujhargarh to Barbil (Daily)
23. 2173/2174 Mumbai-Kanpur Udyog Nagari Express to Pratapgarh (Bi-weekly)
24. 1PR/2PR Pratapgarh-Rae Bareli Passenger to Lucknow (Daily)
25. 2821/2822 Howrah-Bhubaneswar Dhauli Express to Puri (Daily)
26. 4227/4228 Varanasi-Lucknow to Kanpur (Daily)
27. 2985/2986 Sealdah-Jaipur to Ajmer (Daily)
Some of the stations that would be upgraded to world class standards are:
CST Mumbai,
Pune,
Nagpur,
Howrah,
Sealdah,
New Delhi,
Bhubnaeashwar,
Varanasi,
Guwahati,
Chennai,
Trivandrum Central,
Tirupati,
Ahmedabad,
Bhopal,
Agra,
Mathura,
Chandigharh,
New Jalpalguri,
Mangalore,
Cochin and
Puri
Multi function complexes at 50 stations
Allahabad,
Anandpur sahib,
Bikaner,
Bilaspur,
Cuttack,
Darjeeling,
Durgapur,
Ernalukam,
Ghatshila,
Hujur sahib,
Hyderabad,
Indore,
Jabalapur,
Jhansi,
Khaujraho,
Manmad,
Pakakkad,
Raipur,
Rajgir,
Shirdi,
Ujjain,
Vadodara and
Vishakhapatnam.
Indian Railways runs the world`s second largest railroad network under a single management, with network of 108,706 km, ferrying some 14 million passengers on 7,000 trains daily from 6,906 stations.
It also runs 4,000 freight trains to carry nearly 850 millions of cargo each year. Along with the social commitment involved, the sheer size of the Indian Railways is the reason why it is the only ministry that has a separate budget.
