Highlights of the Railway Budget 2013-14

Here are the highlights of the Rail Budget 2013 as presented by Railway Minister PK Bansal.

Ø  No hike in passenger fares

Ø  Free Wi-Fi to be provided on some trains

Ø  Rs 100 crore for improving stations in New Delhi

Ø  179 escalators and 400 lifts at A 1 and other select stations

Ø  E-ticketing through mobile phones

Ø  SMS alerts for passengers on reservation status

Ø  Next generation e-ticketing system by end of 2013

Ø  Superfast and Tatkal charges to rise

Ø  Annual plan for 2013-14 set at Rs 63,363 crore

Ø  Losses up from Rs 22,500 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 24,600 crore in 2012-13

Ø  Accidents per million km down from 0.41 to 0.13

Ø  Raised four companies of women RPF personnel; another eight to be raised for women's safety

Ø  67 new Express and 26 new passenger trains to run; 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services to be introduced; run of 57 trains to be extended; frequency of 24 trains to increase

Ø  22 new rail lines to be taken up in 2013-14

Ø  New debt service fund to be set up

Ø  Will close fiscal 2012-13 with fund balance against previous deficit; need to build fund balance to Rs.30,000 crore by end of 12th Plan

Ø  Operating ratio of 88.8 percent achieved

Ø  Dividend reduced from 5 to 4 percent

Ø  Electrification of 1,200 km to be completed this year

Ø  72 additional suburban services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata

Ø  Rs 6,600 crore increase in earnings from fare adjustment in January

Ø  Rs 63,000 crore investment in 2013-14

Ø  1,047 million tonnes freight loading estimated during 2013-14

Ø  Passenger earnings of Rs 42,000 crore estimated in 2013-14

Ø  Indian Railways Institute of Financial Management to be set up at Secunderabad

Ø  Chair at Delhi to promote research in reducing carbon footprint

Ø  Winners of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Dhyan Chand awards to get free first class passes

Ø  Complementary first class passes for parents of unmarried posthumous awardees of Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra

Ø  Complementary passes of freedom fighters to be renewed every three years instead of annually

Ø  New forged wheel factory at Rae Bareli in collaboration with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd

Ø  Greenfield Mainline Electrical Multiple Units (MEMU) manufacturing facility at Bhilwara along with Rajasthan government and BHEL

Ø  Coach making unit at Sonepat in collaboration with Haryana government

Ø  Midlife rehabilitation workshop at Kurnool along with Andhra Pradesh government.

Ø  Railway energy management company to be set up to harness solar and wind energy

Ø  1,000 crossings to be energised by solar power

Ø  1.51 lakh vacancies to be filled up

Ø  Locomotive cabs to be air-conditioned

Ø  Azadi Express for travel to places associated with freedom struggle

Ø  India in 1 billion tonne freight club

Ø  By end of 2013-14, 1,500 km of contracts to be awarded for two dedicated rail corridors

Ø  Rs 1 lakh crore target set for public-private-partnership route

Ø  Seventeen bridges identified for repair

Ø  Smoke and fire detection system envisaged

Ø  Fire extinguishers to be kept in guard vans

Ø  Making corporate Safety Plan for a 10 year period (2014-24)

Ø  Introduction of Train Protection Warning System on Automatic Signalling Systems

Ø  Rigorous trials of indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System

Ø  Introduction of 160/200 kmph Self Propelled Accident Relief Trains

Ø  Elimination of 10,797 level crossings during the 12th Plan and no addition of such crossings

Ø  Six more Rail Neer bottling plants to be set up

To read more Click Here.