Highlights of Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda's budget speech : Complete Rail Budget

• Ten major stations to be developed to international standards on the lines of newly developed airports through PPP mode
• Govt proposes rail connectivity to 'chaar dham' in Uttarakhand
• Introduction of 5 jansadharan, 5 premium, 6 AC, 27 express, 8 passenger trains, 2 MEMU and 5 DEMU services.

• Office-on-Wheels: Internet & Workstation facilities on select trains
• On Staff Welfare: Hospital Management Information System to integrate all railway health units and hospital
• Solar energy to be harnessed through PPP by utilizing rooftop spaces of stations, railway buildings
• Railways to introduce a pilot project for automatic rebate in returning freight trains
• GIS Mapping and Digitization of Railway Land. Extension of logistics support to various e-Commerce Companies
• Future E-Ticketing to support 7200 tickets per minute & to allow 120,000 simultaneous users
• Wifi in A1 and A category stations & in select trains. Internet-based Platform & Unreserved Tickets
• Increase in speed of trains to 160 to 200 kilometres per hour in select nine sectors
• Allocation of 100 crore rupees for Diamond Quadrilateral network of high speed rail connecting major metros
• I propose bullet trains, identified sector is Mumbai-Ahmedabad
• On Safety: Provision of Rs.1785 cr for Road-over/under bridges, multi-pronged approach to eliminate Unmanned Level Crossings
• Lady coaches to be escorted by RPF women constables; additional care will be taken of ladies travelling alone
• Launching feedback service through IVRS on the quality of food. Food can be ordered by SMS & phone
• On cleanliness: Increasing mechanized laundries for quality bedrolls in AC coaches, introduction of RO drinking water
• Bio-toilets in trains to be increased to mitigate direct discharge of human waste on tracks and platform
• On cleanliness: 40% higher allocation, outsourcing at 50 major stations, onboard housekeeping to be extended to more trains
• Cleanliness is Godliness. Very high emphasis is given to improve cleanliness at stations & trains
• Coin-operated automatic ticket vending machines will be experimented.
• Provide battery operated cars for differently abled & senior citizens at railway stations for them to reach platforms
• We propose better amenities and passenger services. Foot-over bridges, escalators and lifts through PPP
• Resource mobilisation through leveraging PSU resources, Foreign Direct Investment and Public Private Participation.
• Surplus revenues declining. Hardly any resources for development works. Rs.5 Lakh Cr required for ongoing projects alone
• The Tariff Policy adopted lacked rational approach. Loss per passenger/km increased from 10 paisa/km (2000-01) to 23 paisa/km (2012-13)
• Railways to explore alternate sources of funding like Rail PSUs, PPP & Private investment including FDI
• Rs 5 lakh cr needed for next 10 years for modernization of Railways
• Railways facing severe funds crunch, corrective measures will be taken
• Indian Railways spent Rs 41,000 crore on laying of 3,700 km of new lines in last 10 years
• 94 paisa of every rupee earned is spent by Railways
• Gross traffic receipts in 2013-14 was Rs 12,35,558 crore; operating ratio was 94 per cent, says Gowda presenting Rail Budget.
• Social obligation of Railways in 2013-14 was Rs 20,000 crore
• Indian railways carry only 31% of the total freight in the country. This is a challenge to be faced
• We target to become the largest freight carrier in the world: Sadananda Gowda
• I believe in the saying, 'Honesty is the first chapter in book of wisdom. I do follow this.': Gowda