New Delhi: Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu presented the Rail Budget 2015 today in the Lok Sabha. Here are the top passenger friendly features:
- No hike in passenger fares
- Tickets can now be booked 120 days ahead of travel date, instead of 60 days now, to tackle tout menace
- To prevent fire in coaches, we'll install train protection warning system and train collision avoiding system
- Railways to go through transformation in five years; to increase track capacity by 10 per cent to 1.38 lakh km
- Railway helpline number 138 will become operational 24x7
- Toll free number 182 created for security related complaints
- Rail-cum-road ticket to be extended to many stations; more trains to be added under scheme for ordering food while booking tickets
- 'Operation 5-minute' to ensure ticketless passenger get regular ticket within five minute of entering station
- SMS alert service to be introduced on train arrival/ departure; CCTVs to be introduced in select trains and suburban trains for women safety
- More general class coaches to be added in identified trains; more AC EMU services for Mumbai suburban section
- Open wi-fi to be available at 400 railway stations; proposal to revamp the station re-development scheme.
- Feasibility report of high speed train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad expected by mid-2015
- State of the art perishable cargo centre for benefit of farmers
- We are committed to provide Rail connectivity to north eastern states
- Satellite railway terminals in major cities - 10 select stations
- 67% more funds for passenger amenities
- Travel between Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata to be an overnight journey
- Modern facilities for disabled citizens, senior citizens, patients through IRCTC
- To promote Gandhi circuit for tourism purpose
- Full-fledged university to be set during 2015-16
- Middle Berth Will Be Reserved For Women & Senior Citizens
- Newly Manufactured Coaches To Be Braille-enabled
- Meghalaya brought on train map
