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The upcoming Union Budget for railways for 2024-25 may see an enhanced focus on increasing passenger capacity and safety on the railway network, sources familiar with developments said.
Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw recently announced that the national transporter will manufacture 10,000 non-air-conditioned coaches over the next two financial years.
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After facing severe criticism during the Lok Sabha elections for overcrowding in general coaches and recent serious accidents, the ministry will look to allocate sizable funds to create more facilities for the masses and increase rail capacity by increasing the network, bringing down congestion and avoiding operational mishaps.
In the interim budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that rail corridors worth Rs 11 trillion would be inducted in the government's pipeline. According to the railway ministry, this is a sum total of 400 odd projects that have been in the preparation stages recently.
Business Standard reported in March that 50 Amrit Bharat trains are in the works in the current financial year.
The ministry recently announced plans to triple the hiring of assistant loco pilots to 18,000 in the current year, after trade unions raised the issue of stress in the train crew due to understaffing. Recently, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also criticised the government after speaking to some loco pilots about their working conditions.
These would also impact the wage bill of the national transporter, experts believe.
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Meanwhile, the railway industry expects a continuation of the capital expenditure momentum for railways.
“India's infrastructure is in need of considerable capital investment in railways, metro, regional trains to effectively cater to the needs of growing economy in passenger and freight transportation,” said Olivier Loison, managing director of Alstom India.
The Budget is expected to provide capital funds for the expansion of metro network, NaMo Bharat corridors, Vande Bharat trains, high speed corridors and economic corridors to continue the positive momentum. Government’s continued focus on safety upgrades, especially network wide implementation of train protection systems, mechanisation of maintenance operations, and modernisation of passenger amenities is a welcome move, Loison said.
The company, which supplies rolling stock for Indian Railways, the rapid regional transit system, and metro networks in the country, says it's building a strong hub for export of technology, services, rail cars and components from India to promote Make in India.
“It would be encouraging to see government’s push on Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, tax rationalisation, and towards equitable contract terms such as price variation conditions,” he added.
According to reports, a PLI scheme for rail components is also in the works for the budget. Alstom has been aiming to win Vande Bharat orders from the central government.
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