Highlights of Railway Budget for 2008-09

[K.Karthik Raja]

Highlights of Railway Budget for 2008-09
Tuesday, Feb 26

MUMBAI - Following are highlights of the Railway Budget for 2008-09
(Apr-Mar), presented by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in Lok Sabha
today:
.
PASSENGER FARES
* To cut rates for AC-I Tier by 7%, AC-II by 4%.
* Cuts AC-III tier fare by 2%.
* Cuts sleeper class fares by 2% in high capacity coaches.
* 1-rupee rebate on up to 50-rupee fare for non-suburban II class
train.
* Non-suburban II class fare cut 5% on over 50-rupee ticket.
* Senior women citizen's concession hiked to 50% vs 30% now.
* Free monthly season tickets for girl students extended till
graduation.
* Free monthly season tickets for boy students extended till Class
XII.
* Free travel for Ashok Chakra winners in Rajdhani, Shatabdi trains.
.
FREIGHT
* Highest freight rate classification cut to 200 from 210.
* Freight rate on petrol, diesel cut by 5%.
* 14% cut in fly ash freight rate.
* 6% concession for freight to northeast region.
* FY09 freight loading traffic target 850 mln tn.
* Adopted tariff cut strategy to up market share, revenue.
* FY08 freight traffic seen at 790 mln tn.
* FY08 freight target raised by 5 mln tn to 790 mln tn.
* To set up real-time online freight tracking mechanism.
* Work on east, west freight corridor to start FY09.
* OK for Delhi-JNPT North-West freight corridor.
* 3 rolling stock units for dedicated freight corridor.
* Hiked peak season rates on freight.
* Gave lean season freight discounts.
* Apr-Dec freight loading up 8.2% on year.
* Freight loading earned 347 bln rupees Apr-Dec.
* Freight loading up 8-10% in Apr-Dec.
* 25-30 tn axle load trains to be started.
* Aim 200 mln tn freight each of cement, steel by 2012.
* More routes to have 25 tn axle load train for coal.
* To double some lines to transport coal to power units.
* Annual steel traffic aim 200 mln tn by 2011 vs 120 mln now.
* 200-mln-tn tariff seen from cement in 2011-12.
* 310-mln-tn excess freight loading target in next 4 yrs.
* Bulk terminal lessee will guarantee 0.5 mln tn traffic.
* Ports account for 25% of total tariff earnings.
.
FINANCIALS
* FY08 net revenue seen at 184 bln rupees.
* FY08 cash surplus before dividend seen at 250 bln rupees.
* FY08 operating ratio seen at 76%.
* Railways posted 200-bln-rupees cash surplus 2006-07.
* Indian Railways to borrow 69 bln rupees in FY09.
* FY09 general operating cost target 500 bln rupees.
* Plan size raised to 300 bln rupees in 4 years.
* Railways posted 688 bln rupees cash surplus over 4 years.
* Apr-Dec passenger earnings up 14% on year.
* FY08 DRF provision 54.5 bln rupees, 70 bln FY09.
* RITES FY08 income seen 5.6 bln rupees, profit 1.18 bln.
* IRCON FY07 revenue 15.43 bln rupees.
* Other income seen at 47 bln rupee in 4 years vs 19 bln.
* Aim 248 bln rupee cash surplus before dividend FY09.
* Aim 217-bln-rupee passenger revenue in FY09.
* Aim 527-bln-rupee freight revenue in FY09.
* Aim to attract 1 trln rupee in 5 yrs from public-pvt projects.
* To seek 17-bln-rupee from finance ministry for national projects.
* 50 bln rupees set aside for 6th pay commission.
* Sets aside 25 bln rupee for gauge conversion FY09.
* Sets aside 15 bln rupees for signalling.
* Extra budgetary resources at 85 bln rupees.
.
NEW ROUTES, TRAINS
* To start 53 new passenger trains.
* To start 10 new Garib Raths.
* To extend 16 passenger trains to new destinations.
* Saharsa-Amritsar Garib Rath 3 days/week vs 2 days now.
* Special Pune-Delhi trains for Commonwealth Games.
* Kurla-Howrah train frequency twice a week vs once now.
* Bagalkota-Jaswantpur train frequency raised to daily.
* Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani 3 days a week vs 2 days now.
* New Delhi-Jammu Tawi train frequency raised to daily.
* To start twice a week Bhubaneshwar-Mumbai express train.
* Mathura-Lucknow train extended to Patna.
* Varanasi-Ranchi via Rourkela train up to Sambhalpur.
* Bangalore-Coimbatore train extended to Ernakalum.
* To start twice-a-week Amravati-Mumbai express.
* New daily Itarsi-Katni passenger train.
* New daily train for Vasai Road-Panvel.
* New daily Ahmedabad-Patan express.
* New daily train for Chennai-Salem.
* To start weekly Ahmedabad-Mumbai AC train.
* Ranchi-Bhagalpur new train thrice a week.
* New weekly Chennai-Tiruchirapally express.
* To start thrice-a-week Gwalior-Indore express.
* To start thrice-a-week Mathura-Chhapra express.
* Indore-Udaipur via Ratlam new train thrice a week.
* New weekly Bilaspur-Pune express.
* New weekly Puri-Darbhanga express.
* Khajuraho-Delhi new train thrice a week.
* New weekly Varanasi-Rameswaram express.
* Machhlipatnam-Bangalore new train thrice a week.
* Amravati-Mumbai new express train twice a week.
.
COACHES, WAGONS
* To make only stainless steel coaches from FY10.
* To use fire-resistant materials in making coaches
* To have new wagon leasing policy.
* Sops for special purpose, high capacity wagons.
* To make high capacity wagons
* Aim to make 20,000 wagons in FY09, highest ever.
* FY08 wagon production seen at 15,000 units.
* Wagon lease firms must have 2.5-bln-rupee net worth.
* Wagon leasing cos' registration to be valid for 20 years.
* Wagons leasing cos to pay 50 mln rupees.
* In talks with foreign cos for new wagon designs.
* To make 22.9 tn stainless steel axle load wagons FY09.
* 5,000 open wagons to be changed to stainless steel.
* To make 20,000 wagons, 250 diesel engines FY09.
* To make 220 electric locomotives.
* Purchased 42 rakes for 5 bln rupees.
* New coaches in Shatabdi trains by 2011, in Rajdhani by 2010.
.
NEW & UPGRADE PROJECTS
* To set up coach factory in Kerala over 1,000 acres.
* To set up 1,000MW captive power plant in Aurangabad, Bihar.
* To invest 50 bln rupee in Mumbai Urban Transport-II.
* To spend 1.4 bln rupee on modern track checking system.
* Electrification plan aim 3,500 km under 11th plan
* Electrification of more routes in north India underway.
* FY09 line doubling aim is 1,000km
* Aim to set up 350km new rail lines in FY09.
* 155 km new lines seen completed in FY08.
* 2,300km broad gauge line to be completed FY08.
* To modernise railway workshops at 2 bln rupees.
* Plan 820-mln-rupee spend to upgrade Jamalpur rail unit.
* Container Corp to set up 8 depots.
* 50 big terminals planned in Mumbai, Pune, Ghaziabad.
* Expansion of over 50 terminals underway.
* To consider projects based on build, operate, transfer.
* Mulling rail link for Ennore port.
* SPV for links to Mundra, Kandla, Krishnapatnam ports.
* Mulling raising rail network for West Bengal port.
* Completed approach road for Pipavav port.
* Auto signalling in Nagpur-Gondia stretch in progress.
* Plan automatic signalling at Ghaziabad-Kanpur segment.
* To upgrade infrastructure in 7 years at 750 bln rupees.
* Expanding use of automated signalling system.
* Plan 20,000 km high-density network.
* B-type stations to have professional designed shelters.
* To link trains via IT, communications by 2009.
* New Delhi, Mumbai, Patna stations to be revamped FY09.
* Rail Vision 2025 to set targets for next 17 years.
* Rail Vision 2025 to be formulated in 6 mos.
* 2.5-trln-rupee investment for network, IT upgrade 5 yr.
* TV, internet services on trains in future.
* IT vision to be implemented over next 5 years.
* To set up multi-department business promotion group.
* 2.5 bln rupees for acoustic bearing rail detectors.
* Acoustic, load detectors at key locations.
* Anti-collision tech to be implemented in phases.
* Anti-collision pilot project shown encouraging results.
* 16,548 old rail tracks to be renewed by year-end.
* To have metal detectors, baggage scan at key stations.
* 150 bln rupee invest for station revamp via public-pvt route.
* To have camera surveillance at all important stations.
* To have new policy for bulk handling terminals.
* Work on 416 stations out of 560 to be completed by Sep.
* To have lifts, escalators at 50 stations.
* 30 major stations to have multi-level parking.
* To build foot over-bridge on all high-level platforms.
* To up auto ticket sale machines to 6,000 in 2 years.
* To upgrade 203 medium-level platforms to high-level.
* To upgrade 281 low-level platforms to medium-level.
* 195 stations to get foot over-bridge.
* 448 stations to be provided shelters, sheds.
* To have 'green' toilets in 36,000 coaches by 2012.
* To spend 40 bln rupees on revamping train toilets.
* To set up automated signalling on more routes.
* To provide 15.20 bln rupees for signalling system.
* Proposes spending of 17.3 bln rupees for new lines.
* FY09 gauge conversion seen at 2,150 km.
* Sought 17.12 bln rupees from govt for gauge conversion.
* To complete rail line construction to Kashmir FY09.
* Outlay for track doubling up at 25 bln rupees.
* 6.5 bln rupees for metro transport projects FY09.
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TICKETING
* Plan to provide ticket booking via mobile phone.
* Mulling ticket confirmation via mobile phone
* Rail tickets to have expected arrival time.
* E-ticket booking seen up at 300,000 vs 100,000 in 1 year.
* 15,000 computer ticket counters in 2 years vs 3,000 now.
* Planning "smart card" based ticket system.
* Smart tickets to be extended from Western Railways to other zones.
* Aim to have no queues for tickets in 2 years
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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT
* Indian Railways employees at 1.4 mln in FY08.
* Staff benefit fund to be 350 rupees/employee FY09.
* Staff benefit fund to be raised ten-fold in FY09.
* FY07 day bonus up to 70 days vs 65 days.
* SC, STs got more jobs than quota FY08.
* Gangmen to be promoted to man level crossings.
* Coolies to be promoted to gangmen.
* To provide CFC bulbs in 600,000 staff quarters.
* To fill up vacant posts in rail security forces.
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MISCELLANEOUS
* Investing surplus to boost capacity.
* Followed strategy of playing on volumes.
* India rail most profitable public transport entity.
* Land acquisition problem for some railway projects.
* Non-lapsable North-East rail fund to be created.
* To promote rail tourism using steam locomotives.
* Seven-bogie mother-child health express train planned.
* Plan to man busy unmanned railway level crossings.
* 16,600 manned level crossings now; 18,200 unmanned.
* Plan fire prevention devices in coaches on pilot basis.
* Anti-fire gear to cost 7 bln rupees if pilot successful.
* Plan anti-collision tech in south, south-central route.
* To up container train operators to 50-55 trains.
* Have 15 licensed operators for container trains.
* Warehousing, logistics services to be given to railways.
* Private cos will be allowed to make terminals on rail land.
* To allocate land for bulk handling terminals.
* To outsource housekeeping in Shatabdi, Rajdhani trains.
* Express trains to have public address system.
* Online arrival, departure display facility by Mar 2009.
* Orders from six countries for Indian rail coaches.
* Container, rail depot development to get 20 bln rupees.
* 1 trln rupee invest eyed via public-pvt projects 5 yrs.
* 139 phone enquiry services available on railways.
* Receive 200,000-500,000 phone enquiries in 1 year.
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K.Karthik Raja
www.kences1.blogspot.com