Highlights of the Railway Budget 2009-10

The following are the highlights of the Railway Budget for 2009-10 presented by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Lok Sabha today:

• No increase in passenger fares or freight rates
• 12 new point-to-point non-stop "Duronto" trains between major cities
• New service to have air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned sleepers
• New services to run on New Delhi-Jammu Tawi, New Delhi-Lucknow, New Delhi-Allahabad, Mumbai-Ahmedabad (all tri-weekly), Howrah-Mumbai, Chennai-Delhi, Delhi-Pune, Howrah-Delhi, Sealdah-New Delhi, Kolkata-Amritsar (all bi-weekly) and Bhubaneswar-Delhi and Ernakulam-Delhi (weekly) routes
• 57 new trains, 27 trains to be extended, frequency of 13 trains to be increased
• Air-conditioned double-decker coaches to be introduced for inter-city travel
• Under "Izzat" scheme for travel with dignity, people in unorganised sector with monthly income upto Rs 1500 can avail concessional monthly season ticket of Rs 25 for travel upto 100 km
• Existing student concession to be extended to students of Madras
• Students in Kolkata to have monthly season ticket facilities for Kolkata Metro
• Ladies Only EMU trains to be introduced in suburban sections of Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata during rush hours
• New Yuva trains for younger generation from rural areas to major metros with concessional fares but with air-conditioned coaches
• Accredited journalists will get increased concession of 50 per cent instead of existing 30 per cent. Once in a year, their spouse can also travel with 50 per cent concession
• 50 railway stations to be developed as world-class stations
• 375 stations to be developed as "Adarsh Stations" with improved basic amenities
• Multi-functional complexes with shopping facilities, food stalls and budget hotels will be constructed at 50 railway stations at centres of pilgrimage, tourism and industry
• Proposals for seven new lines, gauge conversion of 17 lines, doubling of 13 lines
• Proposals for 53 new lines, three gauge conversions and doubling of 12 lines to be processed during the year
• Tatkal Scheme to be made more passenger-friendly by reducing the advance booking time and the minimum charges
• Computerised tickets to be made available through post offices
• Mobile ticketing vans, "Mushkil Aasaan" to be introduced to provide services in remote areas
• Integrated Security Scheme at 140 vulnerable and sensitive stations
• Women Railway Protection Force (RPF) squads to be introduced exclusively for women passengers
• Onboard Housekeeping Scheme (OBHS) to cover 200 additional pairs of trains
• Long distance trains to have onboard availability of doctors and infotainment services
• National and regional cuisines to be introduced in catering by Railways
• All railway zones instructed to give priority to provision of good quality food, drinking water and toilet facilities and to ensure cleanliness on trains and in stations
• 1000 new passenger reservation locations and expansion of unreserved ticketing system terminals from 5000 to 8000
• Automated ticket vending machines to be installed at 200 large and medium-sized stations
• More ramps, lifts, escalators and special coaches for physically challenged and aged persons
• Special trains to ferry perishable agro-products like fruits and vegetables
• Premium freight and parcel services with guaranteed transit time to be introduced on pilot basis on three routes
• Railways to have outlay of Rs 40,745 crore for 2009-10
• Rs 2921 crore to be spent on new lines
• Rs 1750 crore to be spent on gauge conversion
• Rs 1102 crore to be spent on passenger amenities
• Rs 424 crore to be spent on railway staff amenities
• Freight loading target of 882 million tonnes
• Estimated gross freight receipt of Rs 88419 crore
• Railways to acquire 18,000 new wagons in 2009-10
• North-East Rail Development Fund to be created for timely completion of national projects in north-east region
• Quazigund-Anantnag line in Jammu and Kashmir to be completed by August
• New factory at Kanchrapura-Halisahar for manufacturing rail coaches
• Railways to set up 1000 MW power plant at Adra in collaboration with Ministry of Power
• 6560 staff quarters to be constructed in 2009-10
• Committee headed by telecom expert Sam Pitroda to suggest ways of utilising the optic fibre network of Railways and take information technology to remote areas.

NNN