Highlights of Railway Budget 2014
- Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom and I am grateful to PM Modi ji for having reposed his faith in me, says Sadananda Gowda
- Though I am a month old in the ministry, I am flooded with request for new trains, better services, new lines
- Indian Railways is the soul of the economy and our target is to become largest freight carrier in the world
- Indian railways carry only 31% of the total freight in the country. It is a challenge we have to face, says Rail Minister
- We need to balance social and commercial obligations and we ill start work on high speed network
- There had been focus on sanctioning projects rather than completing them
- There are 4 projects that are over 30 years old but have still not been completed
- Managing the Railways takes most of our resources. We spend 94% of our earnings, are left with just 6 per cent
- The medicine may act bitter in the beginning but will be a nectar in the end: Gowda
- Need Rs 50,000 cr every year for the next ten years for Railways
- Ministry of Railways is seeking cabinet approval for FDI in Railways, except Railway operations
- The fare revision was tough but necessary decision, it will bring Indian Railways an additional revenue of Rs 8000 crore
- Can get claps from this house by announcing new projects but that would be rendering injustice to the struggling organization
- Gross traffic receipts in 2013-14 was Rs 12,35,558 crore; operating ratio was 94 per cent
- Ministry of Railways is seeking cabinet approval for FDI in Railways, except Railway operations
- Need PPP Route to finance bulk of projects including high speed rail
- Need to have private-public partnership to improve condition of railways
- Through PPP route want to provide foot-over bridges, escalators and lifts across all stations
- Populist projects and mismanagement have brought Railways to point of funds crunch, says Rail Minister
- Indian Railways spent Rs 41,000 crore on laying of 3,700 km of new lines in last 10 years
- Surplus revenues declining. Hardly any resources for development work
- I propose to introduce pre cooked and ready to eat meals of reputed brands and want battery operated cars for senior citizens at railway stations: Gowda
- Propose to hike budgetary plan outlay to Rs.47,650 crore
- High priority areas - safety, cleanliness, passenger amenities and capacity augmentationr
- Large part of the budget outlay to go to safety projects
- Will introduce RO drinking water in trains and on stations
- Propose to outsource cleaning responsibility on 50 stations to specialist cleaning agencies
- CCTVs at stations will be used to monitor cleaning activities
- Severe action to be taken against vendors delivering unhygienic food, including cancellation of contracts
- Bio-toilets in trains to be increased to mitigate direct discharge of human waste on tracks and platform
- Severe action to be taken against vendors delivering unhygienic food, including cancellation of contracts
- Bio-toilets in trains to be increased to mitigate direct discharge of human waste on tracks and platform
- Ticket bookings through post offices and mobile phones will be popularized, also coin operated ticket machines
- Contemplating setting up of a railway university, both technical and non-technical courses
- I propose Bullet trains, Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector has been identified
- Efforts will be made to increase speed of trains to 160-200, on select sectors
- I propose retiring rooms on all stations: Sadananda Gowda
- Indian Railways to set up food courts at major railway stations
- Railways to scale down market borrowings to Rs 11,790 crore
- Allocated Rs 100 crore For High- Speed Rail Network
- To Have Diamond Quadrilateral Network for High-speed Trains
- 17,000 Railway Protection Force personnel to be available soon
- Introduction of women RPF constables, coaches meant for women to be escorted for greater safety
- To allot Rs 1,780 Crore to eliminate unmanned level crossings
- To have Digital Reservation Charts at stations
- Will provide summer internships to undergraduate students from engineering background
- E-procurement will be made compulsory for purchase of 25 lakh and more
- Recent fare and tariff hike to mop additional revenue of about Rs 8,000 crore, says Rail Minister
- Resource mobilisation through leveraging PSU resources, FDI and Public Private Participation
- Solar energy to be harnessed through PPP by utilizing rooftop spaces of stations and railway buildings
- Hospital Management Information System to integrate all railway health units and hospitals
- Ladies' coaches to be escorted by women RPF constables; additional care for ladies travelling alone
- 29 rail projects in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana with Rs. 20,680 crores will be completed
- Bangalore to get suburban rails
