Interim Rail Budget: Kharge announced 17 Premium, 38 express & 10 passenger trains

New Delhi: Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge presented the interim Railway Budget in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday amid chaos triggered by slogan shouting by a section of the members over the Telangana issue. 17 new premium trains, 38 express trains and 10 passenger trains to be launched Annual Rail Plan envisaged at Rs. 64,305 crore with a budgetary support of Rs. 30,223 crore

 

Following are the highlights of the Interim Railway Budget 2014-15, the last of rail budget of UPA-II:

• Proposal for passenger train up to Katra in Jammu
• Dedicated Eastern and Western freight corridors
• Railway service to be extended for the benefit of Vaishnodevi pilgrims
• Meghalaya set to come on rail map as part of extension of network in the Northeastern States
• Premium AC Special train in Delhi-Mumbai sector with shorter advance reservation period and dynamically varying premium over tatkal fare
• Railways meet from own resources total additional impact of Rs one lakh crore because of 6th Pay Commission
• Independent Rail Tariff Authority set up to advise on fixing of fares and freight, to engage all stakeholders
• FDI being enabled to foster creation of world-class rail infrastructure; several PPP projects in pipeline
• Rail infrastructure by cost sharing with governments of Karnataka, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana
• Rail Land Development Authority has raised Rs. 937 crore so far
• Operating ratio likely to be 90.8 per cent; Railways will end current year with surplus
• Electrification of 4,556 km railway line completed against a target of 4,500 km
• Target of doubling gauge was also surpassed: 2,227 km was completed against a target of 2,000 km

 

The Railway Minister has however kept both the passenger as well as the freight fares unchanged. Meanwhile, the Railway Budget presentation was cut short as Parliament was adjourned till 2pm due to interruptions caused by MPs protesting creation of Telangana. Four Union ministers from Seemandhra had stormed into well of the House along with other members over Telangana.
The MPs had initially also stalled presentation of the Rail Budget to highlight their cause.

Bureau Report