RAILWAY BUDGET ANNOUNCED ON 26.2.2008


     
 

HIGHLIGHTS


 
 
 


Highlights of Rail Budget 2008-09

 
Union Railway Minister Lalu Yadav presented the Railway Budget for 2008-09 in Parliament on Tuesday.

Following are the highlights:

  • Railway profit in 2007-08 at Rs 25,000 crore.
  • 155 kms of new lines to be completed in 2007-08 , target for 2008 -09 is 350 kms
  • Non-lapsable Nort-East rail development fund to be created
  • Construction of railway line in Kashmir valley to be completed by 2009
  • Outlay for doubling work increased to Rs 2,500 cr
  • New investments of Rs 35,500 cr for 2008-09
  • Special train between Pune and Delhi for Commonwealth Youth Games between Oct 12-18
  • 50% concession for AIDS patient
  • Foot overbridges at all high-level platforms.
  • Northern railway main hospital in Delhi will be fully airconditioned. Divisional railway hospitals in Jaipur and Hubli will be upgraded.
  • A new rail coach unit to be set up in Kerala
  • A 1,000 megawatt captive power plant to be set up in Nabinagar in Bihar
  • Ten new Garib Raths and 53 new trains to be introduced.
  • Railway tickets to show 'expected time of arrival'
  • Thirty per cent discount to senior citizens for rail travel and 50 per cent discount for women in all classes
  • Mother Child Health Express to be started.
  • Clearance given for western freight corridor from Delhi to JNPT, Nhava Sheva, adjoining Mumbai.
  • Close circuit TV and bomb detecting equipment to be installed at major stations.
  • Doubling of lines to be given priority.
  • Railways planning smart card-based ticketing system.
  • CCTvs at all important stations
  • Modular toilets to be introduced in trains.
  • 'Go Mumbai' card to be sold at bus depots.
  • Freight loading estimated to increase from 650 mt to 1100 mt by 2011
  • New policy for wagon leasing.
  • New line for Ennore Power Station.
  • By 2010, all coaches will be made of steel.
  • Professional agencies being involved on a pilot basis to ensure cleanliness in running trains.
  • Work on automatic signalling to start in new sections.
  • Railways to bring in led displays in stations on train arrivals/ departures.
  • Stainless steel coaches for mail and express trains.
  • Cleanliness drive on rajdhani and shatabdi trains.
  • Railways show a surplus of rs 68,778 cr in last four years.
  • Railways to provide escalators at 50 per cent of the stations in the country.
  • Railway Minister Lalu Yadav announced that Indian Railways will introduce 15,000 ticketing counters in the next 2 years. The Railways plans to offer tickets through mobile phones.
  • By 2009 call centre based inquiry services to be unveiled.
  • Issuance of wait-listed e-tickets will also allowed
  • Operating ratio of the Railways was at 76%.
  • Rs 49,250 crore invested into new railway projects.
  • Railway plan size increased from Rs 11,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore in the last four years.
  • Productivity of Railway assets has been constantly increasing.
  • Railways attained 790 tonne payload target in the year 2007-08.
  • E-ticket booking is likely to rise to 300,000 from 100,000 in a year.
  • Freight traffic target of 785 million tonnes crossed to touch 790 million tones
  • Railway plan size increased from Rs 11,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore in the last four years.
  • 560 railway station platforms to be lengthened to take long trains.
  • Middle-level and low-level platforms to be upgraded to high-level platforms in several stations to help commuters.
  • More facilities for women and old passengers.

 

                                                                                                                Source : Rediff .com
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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