Railway Budget's new schemes

Right from extending e-catering services to creating rail-auto hub in Chennai, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu proposed a host of new schemes in his Railway Budget - 2016-17 on Thursday.

In order to fulfill the social obligations towards differently-abled, senior citizens and women travellers, the railways have introduced lots of schemes.

One-time registration for availing concessions while booking tickets online, online booking of wheelchairs and Braille-enabled new coaches for the differently abled are some of the other schemes. Also, the quota of lower berths has been increased for senior citizens and women.

The new schemes are -

* 100 rail stations to get Wi-Fi this year.

* Indian Railways will provide 17,000 bio-toilets on trains.

* Additional toilets at 475 stations before 2016-17 ends.

* E-catering services to be extended to 408 stations.

* Developing Delhi-Chennai, Kharagpur-Mumbai and Kharagpur-Vijayawada freight corridors on a priority basis.

* To create rail auto hub in Chennai.

* Watchdog proposed for railways.

* FM radio entertainment on trains.

* With new uniforms, railway porter will be called Sahayaks.

* Half of lower berths reserved for senior citizens.

* Baby food at stations, child menu on all trains.

* Local cuisine to be available on trains.

* Ticket cancellation through phone calls.

* To install 1,780 automatic ticketing machines.

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* CCTV surveillance in all stations in a phased manner.

* Local art to be highlighted at railway stations.

*Dedicated freight corridors envisaged for North-South, East-West and East Coast alignments.