Highlights of Rail Budget

Following are highlights of the Railway Budget for 2008-09 (Apr-Mar), presented by Railway Minister Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav in Lok Sabha currently


PLANNED PROJECTS
* 7-bogie mother-child health express train planned.
* Plan to man busy unmanned railway level crossings.
* Anti-fire gear to cost 7 bln rupee if pilot successful.
* Plan fire prevention device in coaches on pilot basis.
* Plan anti-collision tech in south, south-central route.
* OK for Delhi-JNPT North-West freight corridor.
* CONCOR to set up 8 depots.
* 50 big terminals planned in Mumbai, Pune, Gaziabad.
* Expansion of over 50 terminals underway.
* To consider BoT based projects.
* Mulling rail link for Ennore port.
* SPV for links to Mundra, Kandla, Krishnapatnam ports.
* Mulling raising rail network for West Bengal port.
* Completed approach road for Pipavav port.
* Auto signalling in Nagpur-Gondia stretch in progress.
* To double some lines to transport coal to power units.
* Electrification of more routes in north India underway.
* Plan automatic signalling at Gaziabad-Kanpur segment.
* To upgrade infrastructure in 7 years at 750 bln rupees.
* Expanding use of automated signalling system.
* Plan 20,000 km high density network.
* B-type stations to have professional designed shelters.
* To link trains via IT, communications by 2009.
* To start making steel coaches from 2009-10
* New Delhi, Mumbai, Patna stations to be revamped FY09.
* 2.5 trln rupee investment for network, IT upgrade 5 yr.
* TV, internet services on trains in future.
* IT vision to be implemented over next 5 years.
* To set up multi department business promotion group.
* To set up automated signalling on more routes.
* Rail Vision 2025 to set targets for next 17 years.
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NEW TRAINS & SCHEMES
* To make only steel coaches from FY10.
* Have 15 licensed operators for container trains.
* Warehousing, logistics services to be given to railways.
* Private cos will be allowed to make terminals on rail land.
* To allocate land for bulk handling terminals.
* Sops for special purpose, high capacity wagons.
* Purchased 42 rakes for 5 bln rupees.
* To have new policy for bulk handling terminals.
* 25-30 tn axle load trains to be started.
* Work on 416 stations out of 560 to be completed by Sep.
* To have lifts, escalators at 50 stations.
* 30 major stations to have multi-level parking.
* 50 big stations to have lifts, escalators.
* To build foot-over-bridge on all high level platforms.
* To up auto ticket sale machines to 6000 in 2 years.
* To upgrade 203 medium level platforms to high level.
* To upgrade 281 low level platforms to medium level.
* 195 stations to get foot overbridge.
* 448 stations to be provided shelters, sheds.
* To outsource housekeeping in Shatabdi to outside cos.
* To outsource housekeeping in Rajdhanis to outside cos.
* Express trains to have public address system.
* Mail, express trains to have stainless steel coaches.
* Only stainless steel coaches to be produced after 2009-10.
* New coaches in Shatabdi trains by 2011.
* New coaches in all Rajdhani trains by 2010.
* Online arrival, departure display facility by Mar 2009.
* Rail Vision 2025 to be formulated in 6 mos.
* Wagons leasing cos to pay 50 mln rupees.
* To have new wagon leasing policy.
* In talks with foreign cos for new wagon designs.
* To make 22.9 tn stainless steel axle load wagons FY09.
* 5,000 open wagons to be changed to stainless steel.
* To up container train operators to 50-55 trains.
* 2008-09 target 20,000 wagons to be made, highest ever.
* 2007-08 wagon production seen 15,000.
* 2.5 bln rupees for acoustic bearing rail detectors.
* Acoustic, load detectors at key locations.
* Anti-collision tech to be implemented in phases.
* Anti-collision pilot has given encouraging results.
* 16,548 old rail tracks to be renewed by year-end.
* To have metal detectors, baggage scan at key stations.
* 150 bln rupee invest for stations via public-pvt route.
* To have CCTVs at all important stations.
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BALANCE SHEET
* 2007-08 net revenue 184 bln rupees.
* 2007-08 cash surplus seen 250 bln rupees.
* Operating ratio in 2007-08 at 76%.
* Indian Railways employees at 1.4 mln in 2007-08.
* Railways posted 200 bln rupees cash surplus 2006-07.
* Cash surplus dividend estimate 250.65 bln rupees 2007-08.
* 233 mln tn incremental loading earned 140 bln revenue.
* Additional 20 bln rupees earnings on freight services.
* Plan size raised to 300 bln rupees in 4 years.
* Railways posted 688 bln rupees cash surplus over 4 years.
* 150 bln rupees dividend in 5 years.
* Railways fund balance up at 204.8 bln rupees.
* 2007-08 utilisation ratio 63.3%
* Passenger earning up 14% on year till December
* 2007-08 rail operating ratio estimated at 76.3%
* 790 mln tn loading likely in 2007-08.
* FY08 DRF provision 54.5 bln rupees, 70 bln FY09.
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FREIGHT & FARES
* Senior women citizens concession up 50% vs 30% now.
* Free tickets for male students till 12th class.
* Girls to get free season tickets till graduation.
* Ports account for 25% of total tariff earnings
* Gauge conversion for Mangalore port completed.
* Annual steel traffic aim 200 mln tn 2011 vs 120 mln.
* 200 mln tn tariff seen from cement in 2011-12.
* Bulk terminal lessee will guarantee 0.5 mln tn tariff.
* 2007-08 freight target raised by 5 mln tn to 790 mln tn
* Freight loading up 8.2% on year till December.
* Freight loading aim 790 mln tn versus 785 mln tn 2007-08.
* Freight loading earned 347 bln rupees Apr-Dec.
* Freight loading up 8-10% in Apr-Dec.
* Hiked peak season rates on freight.
* Gave lean season discounts.
* Adopted tariff cut strategy to up market share, revenue.
* 310 mln tn excess freight loading target in next 4 yrs
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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT
* Staff benefit fund to be 350 rupees/employee FY09.
* Staff benefit fund to be upped 10 times in FY09.
* FY07 day bonus up to 70 days vs 65 days.
* SC, STs got more jobs than quota FY08.
* Gangmen to be promoted to man level crossings.
* Coolies to be promoted to gangmen.
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TICKETING
* Smart tickets to be extended from W Railways to others.
* Planning "smart card" based ticket system.
* Mulling ticket confirmation via mobile phone
* Plan to provide ticket booking via mobile phone.
* Rail tickets to have expected arrival time.
* E-ticket booking seen up at 300,000 vs 100,000 in 1 year.
* 15,000 computer ticket counters in 2 years vs 3,000 now.
* Aim to have no queues for tickets in 2 years
* Automated ticket vending machines at 250 now.
* Exploring options of ticketing via mobiles.
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MISCELLENEOUS
* Ashok Chakra winner can travel Rajdhani, Shatabdi free.
* 200 mln tn tariff seen from steel FY12 vs 120 mln tn.
* 16,600 manned level crossings now; 18,200 unmanned.
* To fill up vacant posts in rail security forces.
* Container, rail depot development to get 20 bln rupees.
* 1 trln rupee invest eyed via public-pvt projects 5 yrs.
* Gave 5 bln rupees for pension for 6th pay commission.
* Investing surplus to boost capacity.
* Followed strategy of playing on volumes.
* India rail most profitable public transport entity.
* Have strategy to raise market share, profit.
* 139 phone enquiry services available on railways.
* 200,000-500, 000 phone enquiries in 1 year.
* Other income seen at 47 bln rupee in 4 years vs 19 bln.
* To have Green toilets in 36,000 coaches by 11th plan.
* To spend 40 bln rupees on discharge-free train toilets.