Rail Budget 2011-12: highlights

For record, I am giving some major highlights of the Rail Budget presented by Mamta Banerji today [25th February, 2011]:

Mamta Banerji

• No hike in passenger fare and freight rates.
• Plan outlay of Rs. 57,630 crore proposed.
• Rs. 9,583 crore provided for new lines.
• 1300 km new lines, 867 km doubling of lines and 1017 km gauge conversion targeted in 2011-12.
• Bridge Factory in J&K; Diesel Locomotive Centre in Manipur. Centre of Excellence in Software at Darjeeling; Rail Industrial Parks at Jellingham and New Bongaigaon [West Bengal]; 700 MW gas-based power plant at Thakurli in Maharashtra.
• 56 new Express Trains, 3 new Shatabdis and 9 Duronto trains to be introduced.
• AC Double Decker service on Jaipur-Delhi and Ahmedabad-Mumbai routes.
• New Super AC Class to be introduced.
• A new portal for e-ticketing to be launched.  Booking charges: Rs. 10 for AC classes and Rs.5 for others.
• Pan-India multi-purpose smart card “Go India” to be introduced.
• 236 more stations to be upgraded.
• 2 new passenger terminals in Kerala and one each in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
• Feasibility study to raise speed of passenger trains to 160-200 kmph.
• Anti Collision Devise (ACD) sanctioned to cover 8 zonal railways.
• GPS Based ‘Fog Safe’ device to be deployed.
• All state capitals in the North-East except Sikkim to be connected by rail in next 7 years.
• 18,000 Wagons to be procured during 2011-12.
• A scheme for socially desirable projects, ‘Pradhan Mantri Rail Vikas Yojana’  proposed.
• 10,000 shelter units proposed for track side dwellers in Mumbai, Sealdah, Siliguri, Tiruchirapalli on pilot basis.
• Concession to physically handicapped persons to be extended on Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains.
• Freight loading of 993 MT and passenger growth of 6.4 % estimated for 2011-12.

Quote-unquote

We have taken a two-point approach ... on the one hand by sustainable, efficient and rapidly growing Indian Railways, and on the other, by an acute sense of social responsibility towards the common people of this nation.... Mamta Banerji while presenting the rail budget

 Pl click here for India News Today's quick take on rail budget.