Rail Budget 2014 : No fare hike but some charges up

Salient features of Rail Budget 2013-14

• 22 new lines to be taken up in 2013-14
• Superfast and Tatkal charges to rise
• 67 new Express trains to be introduced; 27 new passenger trains; run of 58 trains to be extended
• New debt service fund to be set up
• Will close fiscal 2012-13 with fund balance against previous deficit; need to buildfund balance to Rs.30,000 crore by end of 12th Plan
• Operating ratio of 88.8 percent achieved
• Dividend reduced from 5 to 4 percent
• Electrification of 1,200 km to be completed this year
• 72 additional suburban services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata
• No increase in passenger fares
• Rs.6,600 crore increase in earnings from fare adjustment in January
• Rs.63,000 crore investment in 2013-14
• 1,047 million tonnes freight loading estimated during 2013-14
• Passenger earnings of Rs 42,000 crore estimated in 2013-14
• Indian Railways Institute of Financial Management to be set up at Secunderabad
• Chair at Delhi to promote research in reducing carbon footprint
• Winners of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Dhyan Chand awards to get free first class passes
• Complementary first class passes for parents of unmarried posthumous awardees of Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra
• Complementary passes of freedom fighters to be renewed every three years instead of annually
• New wheel factory to be set up at Rae Bareli
• Greenfiled EMU manufacturing facility at Bhilwara
• Railway energy management company to be set up to harness solar and wind energy
• 1,000 crossings to be energised by solar power
• 1.51 lakh vacancies to be filled up
• Locomotive cabs to be air-conditioned
• Azadi Express to be introduced to travel to places associated with
• freedom struggle
• India in 1 billion tonne freight club
• By end of 2013-14, 1,500 km of contracts to be awarded for two dedicated rail corridors
• Rs.1 lakh crore target set for public-private-partnership route
• Free Wi-Fi to be provided on some trains
• Rs.100 crore for improving stations in New Delhi
• 179 escalators and 400 lifts at A 1 and other select stations
• E-ticketing through mobile phones
• SMS alerts for passengers on reservation status
• Next generation e-ticketing system by end of 2013
• Seventeen bridges identified for repair
• Smoke and fire detection system envisaged
• Fire extinguishers to be kept in guard vans
• Corporate plan for 10 years to be drawn up
• Raised four companies of women RPF personnel, and another eight to be raised for women’s safety
• Six more Rail Neer bottling plants to be set up
• Losses mounted from Rs.22,500 crore in 2011-12 to Rs.24,600 crore in 2012-13
• Planning Commission pegged 12th Plan at Rs.125.19 lakh crore
• Fall in accidents – per million accidents down from .41 to .13
• Aim to eliminate 31,846 level crossings