Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a slew of measures, including the development of fifty world class stations and introducing double decker AC trains for inter-city travel, and left train fares and freights rates unchaged in the Railway Budet for 2009-10. She also announced a host new railway projects and new trains for her home state West Bengal.
Railway Budget 2009-10: Key Highlights:
- No increase in passenger fare and freight tariff
- Budget to have inclusive growth and expansion of railway network to every corner of the country
- Plan outlay of Rs 40,745 cr. Proposed for 2009-10
- Passenger amenities get high priority, to get 119% increase
- Traffic receipts during 2008-09 increase by 11.4 % while freight loading grew @ 5%
- Special trains for perishable farm produce, facilities for transportation of rural craft
- Works for 7 new lines, gauge conversion of 17 lines and doubling of 13 lines to be taken up
- Faster parcel services proposed on three routs
- Tatkal scheme to be made passenger friendly
- Railway tickets to be made available through post offices and ‘mushkil aasaan’ mobile vans
- Concession for press persons increased to 50%
- Monthly ticket of Rs 25 for unorganized sector/poor under ‘izzat’ scheme
- “Only ladies’ emu trains at delhi, kolkata and chennai
- ‘Yuva trains’ from rural hinterland to metros at concessional fare
- 12 new point-to-point ‘turanto’ trains
- 57 new trains, extension of 27 trains and increase in frequency of 13 trains and air-conditioned double-decker trains proposed
- 50 stations to be upgraded to world class stations
- Long distance trains to have on-board doctors and infotainment services
- Handicapped and aged persons to have more amenities
- Special trains to ferry perishable agro products and rural handicrafts
- Special fund for the development of north east railway
- Quazigund-anantnag line to be completed by next month
- 6,560 railway staff quarters to be constructed and group ‘d’ employees to get scholarships for their girl child
- Railways to come out with while paper on financial status and vision-2020 document