Railway Budget 2015-16, Latest News from India

Live News Updates Union Minister Suresh Prabhu has taken charge of the Railway Ministry, he
has made it clear that he is more concerned with the turnaround in Indian Railways than taking the
populist path.
With the aim of clearing the financial and administrative mess in the Railways, Prabhu is all set to
present his maiden Railway Budget 2015-16.
Expectations are high from the Railway Minister amidst the latters firmness to bring in fundamental
changes in the Railways.
Here are the Live Updates:
The following are the highlights of the Railway Budget for 2015-16 presented by Railway
Minister Suresh Prabhu in the Lok Sabha on Thursday:

No hike in passenger fares

Speed of trains running at 110-130 kmph to be increased to 160-200 kmph

Over 17,00 toilets on trains already replaced, another 17,000 to be replaced

Toilets at stations need improvement; 650 additional toilets to be created in addition to 120
last year.
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New department to keep stations clean

Railways to Work on Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat

Defence travel system developed to eliminate system warrants

SMS alerts to be introduced

Paperless ticketing system to be developed Wi-Fi facility to be extended to category B

stations

Suburban network in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai to be augmented

Announcement on new trains/frequencies to be made during current parliament session

10 cities identified for creating fully-functional satellite terminals to reduce congestion

All newly-manufactured coaches to be braille-enabled

Suresh Prabhu Outlines 4 Goals For Indian Railways

Online booking for wheel chairs to be enabled

Over 20,000 suggestions received on improving facilities

Railways proposes to install Train Protection Warning System and Train Collision Avoidance
System on select routes at the earliest

During 2015-16, 970 ROBs/RUBs and other safety-related works to eliminate 3,438 level
crossings at an expense of Rs.6,581 crore sanctioned.
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Size of the plan budget has gone up by 52 percent from Rs.65,798 crore in 2014-15 to
Rs.1,00,011 crore in 2015-16.

Investment of Rs.8.5 lakh crore in next five years Railways to increase daily passenger
arrying capacity from 21 million to 30 million, increase track length by 20 percent from
1,14,000 km to 1,38,000 km, grow annual freight carrying capacity from 1 billion to 1.5 billion
tonnes.

Seventy-seven new projects worth Rs.96,182 crore sanctioned

Four goals: Deliver sustained improvement in customer facilities, Make railways safer means
of travel, expand substantially, make Indian Railways self-sustainable
Suresh Prabhu Outlines 4 Goals For Indian Railways

Nine thrust areas: Railways to once again become prime mover of economy; resource
mobilization for higher investments; decongestion of heavy haul routes and speeding up of
trains; emphasis on gauge conversion, doubling, tripling and electrification; project delivery;
passenger amenities, safety; transparency and system improvement; railways to continue to
be the preferred mode of transport for the masses; sustainability

Foreign rail technology co-operation scheme proposed to be launched

New governance structure required; more decentralization and deregulation; accounting

system to be revamped

Resources to be generated through public-private-partnerships

Assets to be monetized rather than sold; land records being digitized

Products made by self-help groups to be encouraged

Railways cannot function in business-as-usual mode, have to keep up with changing times

Green technology locomotives to be introduced

Two dedicated freight corridors gathering steam

Innovation Council and Technology Portal to be set up to invite suggestions on

improvements MPs urged to use part of their funds for improving rail facilities

Open bids to be invited from private parties to develop railway stations

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Operational ratio of 88.5 percent targeted

Waste-to-energy conversion plants to be created

Budget part of trilogy: White paper already tabled, this budget, vision document soon

Railways backbone of national connectivity

Will partner with private sector to improve last mile connectivity

Suresh Prabhu Outlines 4 Goals For Indian Railways

Railways unique integrator of modern India

Facilities not improved substantially over past few decades

Vicious cycle of under-investment must end

1,219 sections on network most of them overworked.

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The Rail Budget to be presented on February 26 will also propose world class manufacturing
facilities in the country.
Use of latest technology and automation to reduce manpower and better quality control at railway
factories and workshops are likely to be announced