New Delhi: Rail Minister Suresh Prabhu in his budget speech announced a slew of passenger friendly measures such as better ticket booking facilities and more general coaches for the benefit of travellers. Also in line with expectations, no hike in rail fares was announced.
Announcing multiple measures that are meant to improve passenger comfort Prabhu said, “We will throttle tout menace by increasing ticket booking time. We will raise reserved ticket booking window to 120 days versus 60 days now.”We will ensure quick availability of passenger tickets. Also unreserved passengers can book tickets in 5 minutes,” he said.Apart from this he said that Rs 120 crore will be spent to install lifts and escalators at major stations.
Prabhu also said that more general class coaches will be added to benefit travelers.Stressing on need to enhance customer experience, Prabhu in his budget speech said that Railways will hike allotment for passenger amenities by 67%.
Talking about the need to work towards PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Swachh Bharat’ drive, Prabhu in his budget speech said, “17,000 more toilets will be replaced by bio-toilets.””We will make cleanliness a major initiative. We will engage private agencies & set up waste-to-energy conversion plants,” Prabhu said.Outlining his vision for Indian Railways, Suresh Prabhu in his budget speech talked about four main goals that PM Narendra Modi government will work on to get railways out of its abysmal state.
“We want to work on these four goals; to deliver a sustained improvement in customer experience; make railways a safer means of travel; modernise infrastructure of railways and expand capacity and finally make railways financially self-sustainable,” Prabhu elaborate.Prabhu announced a 24*7 helpline for Indian Railways. “An all India 24*7 helpline 138 will be effective from 1/3/2015; Toll free No. 182 for security complaints,” Prabhu said.
Earlier Report
Presenting his maiden Rail Budget, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said that the government will improve capacity on high density network in next five years.
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-Improving efficiency on high density networks priority
-Emphasis on gauge conversion
-Trains to become punctual
– Suresh Prabhu will begin Rail Budget speech shortly
– Lok Sabha adjourned till 11:30 am amid uproar over Venkaiah Naidu’s remarks. The minister clarifies in Lok Sabha, says, “I respect the Opposition. I have never used unparliamentary language.”
– Suresh Prabhu Reaches Rail Bhavan
– Rail Minister Suresh Prabhu leaves for Rail Bhavan
– Opposition threatens to disrupt proceedings during presentation of Rail Budget in Lok Sabha over Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu’s controversial remarks made yesterday. Naidu had said that “minority cannot trample majority”.
– Hope to improve Railways, says Prabhu
– Have to keep in mind long-term benefit of Railways, says Prabhu
– Will take the right step on fare hike, says Prabhu
– Will not leave work after Budget. The journey is long, it will not be completed in a year, says Prabhu
– Suresh Prabhu says Budget will set the direction, but it will be a tough and long journey.
– It is a tough task but we will work hard, Prabhu says.
– This is common man’s transport, our dream is to bring it back on track, says Prabhu.
– Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu is expected to leave for Parliament at 10.45 am.
– PM has a dream to improve the Railways, says Prabhu.
– Rail Budget will be as per common man’s expectations, Sinha says.
– Expansion and modernization of Indian Rail network will find space in Budget, passengers will benefit, says Manoj Sinha.
– Ahead of the Rail Budget to be announced at 12 noon today, Manoj Sinha, MoS Railways, says that common man will be given prime importance.The Railway Minister had earlier ruled out a cut in fares in the context of reduced diesel rates but he is expected to make a tightrope walk as he tries to bridge the huge gap in finances while presenting his maiden Rail Budget in the Lok Sabha.
In the first Rail Budget of the Modi government in July last year, fares were increased by 14.2 percent and freight rates by 6.5 percent.
Considered a reformer, Prabhu may lay the road map for attracting private investment for the public transporter, which badly needs funds for completion of many crucial rail projects.
As the Railway Minister has stressed on improvement in passenger amenities before increasing fares, there will be a series of measures including utilisation of CSR funds to improve amenities at rail premises.
Prabhu is expected to focus on tapping more revenue channels and could announce some innovative ways for raising resources through non-tariff methods like increasing revenues from advertisements and leveraging surplus land among others.
In line with the ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign, Rail Budget 2015 is likely to give special attention to cleanliness exercise and a slew of measures like provision for dustbins in all coaches besides proposal to cover 100 more trains under ‘On Board Housekeeping Services’.
Keeping with the NDA government’s bullet train promise, Prabhu could announce the way forward for the ambitious high-speed train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad and survey programmes for the proposed diamond quadrilateral route.
Customer satisfaction will be a focus area of this year’s Rail Budget as a series of steps including air-conditioning of Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) trains for inter-city services and noise reduction in diesel locomotive cabs are likely to be proposed, sources said.
The Railway Minister is also likely to spell out plans for joint venture mechanism for implementing projects involving state governments and other external agencies.
