RAILWAY BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a slew of measures, including the development of fifty world class stations and introducing double decker AC trains for inter-city travel, and left train fares and freights rates unchaged in the Railway Budet for 2009-10. She also announced a host new railway projects and new trains for her home state West Bengal.

Railway Budget 2009-10: Key Highlights:

• No increase in passenger fare and freight tariff
• Budget to have inclusive growth and expansion of railway network to every corner of the country
• Plan outlay of Rs 40,745 cr. Proposed for 2009-10
• Passenger amenities get high priority, to get 119% increase
• Traffic receipts during 2008-09 increase by 11.4 % while freight loading grew @ 5%
• Special trains for perishable farm produce, facilities for transportation of rural craft
• Works for 7 new lines,  gauge conversion of 17 lines and doubling of 13 lines to be taken up
• Faster parcel services proposed on three routs
• Tatkal scheme to be made passenger friendly
• Railway tickets to be made available through post offices and ‘mushkil aasaan’  mobile vans
• Concession for press persons increased to 50%
• Monthly ticket of Rs 25 for unorganized sector/poor under ‘izzat’ scheme
• “Only ladies’ emu trains at delhi, kolkata and chennai
• ‘Yuva trains’ from rural hinterland to metros at concessional fare
• 12 new point-to-point ‘turanto’ trains
• 57 new trains, extension of 27 trains and increase in frequency of 13 trains and air-conditioned double-decker trains proposed
• 50 stations to be upgraded to world class stations
• Long distance trains to have on-board doctors and infotainment services
• Handicapped and aged persons to have more amenities
• Special trains to ferry perishable agro products and rural handicrafts
• Special fund for the development of north east railway
• Quazigund-anantnag line to be completed by next month
• 6,560 railway staff quarters to be constructed and group ‘d’ employees to get scholarships for their girl child
• Railways to come out with while paper on financial status and vision-2020 document