Top ten key takeaways from Rail Budget 2013

New Delhi, Feb 26: Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal presented the Railway Budget 2013-14 in the Lok Sabha on February 26, 2013 which many called a balanced and soft one rather than a populist one. In his budget speech the minister announced a fuel surcharge of just under 5 per cent on freight traffic, but did not tinker with the passenger fare hikes. At the same time he hiked the supplementary charges for super fast trains, reservation fee, clerkage charge, cancellation charge and tatkal charges. And in doing so the minister received the criticism of effecting a fare hike through the back door. Here are our 10 key takeaways from the Rail Budget. 1. Passenger faresNo hike in passenger fares but an increase in supplementary charges for superfast trains, like Rajdhani and Shatabdi, as well as charges on reservations and cancellations, which will mean a fare increase of between Rs 5 and Rs 25 for all classes in superfast trains.2. Freight chargesRailway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in the rail budget for 2013-14 proposed hiking basic freight rates by over 5 per cent on commodities such as grains and pulses, coal, iron and steel, urea, iron ore, cement, pig iron, high speed diesel oil, groundnut oil, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas. The hike on all major commodities like foodgrains, petroleum products and fertiliser will fuel inflationary pressure, say economists. Chief Economist from Crisil DK Joshi said, "It will add to inflation but cannot have spillover effect because the demand is weak."3. e-Ticketing‘Aadhar' to be used for various passenger and staff related services.Internet ticketing from 0030 hours to 2330 hours.e-ticketing through mobile phones.Project of SMS alerts to passengers providing updates on reservation status.Covering larger number of trains under Real Time Information System.Next-Gen e-ticketing system to be rolled out capable of handling 7200 tickets per minute against 2000 now & 1.20 lakh users simultaneously against 40,000 now.4. New Trains67 new Express trains to be introduced26 new passenger services, 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services to be introducedRun of 57 trains to be extendedFrequency of 24 trains to be increased5. Passenger/Rail Users' AmenitiesIdentification of 104 important stations for immediate attention to all aspects related to cleanliness.Progressive extension of bio-toilets on trains.Provision of concrete aprons on platforms with mechanized cleaning facilities.Extension of On Board Housekeeping Scheme and Clean Train Stations to more stations and trains.Extension of Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS), Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), Coin- operated Ticket Vending Machines (CO-TVMs) and schme of Jan-Sadharan Ticket Booking Sevaks (JTBSs).Setting up of six more Rail Neer bottling plants at Vijayawada, Nagpur, Lalitpur, Bilaspur, Jaipur and Ahmedabad.Pilot project on select trains to facilitate passengers to contact on board staff through SMS/phone call/e-mail for coach cleanliness and real time feedback.8-10 more mechanized laundries for quality washing of linen.Provision of announcement facility and electronic display boards in trains.Providing free Wi-Fi facilities on several trains.Upgrading another 60 stations as Adarsh Stations in addition to 980 already selected.Associate voluntary organizations for providing first aid services at railway stations.Introduction of an ‘Anubhuti' coach in select trains to provide excellent ambience and latest facilities and services.179 escalators and 400 lifts at A-1 and other major stations to be installed facilitating elderly and differently abled.Affixing Braille stickers with layout of coaches including toilets, provision of wheel chairs and battery operated vehicles at more stations and making coaches wheel-chair friendly.Some JTBS to be reserved for disabled people.Curbing malpractices in reserved tickets including tatkal scheme.Third party audit and tie up with food testing laboratories for food quality control; ISO certified state-of-the-art base kitchens to be set up in railway premises.Centralized Catering Services Monitoring Cell set up with a toll free number (1800 111 321) Rail Tourism6. Improving Safety & SecurityMaking a Corporate Safety Plan for a ten year period (2014-2024).Elimination of 10797 level crossings during the 12th Plan and no addition of new LCs to the IR system henceforth.Introduction of Train Protecti on Warning System on Automatic Signalling Systems.Rigorous trials of the indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance SystemUsing 60 kg rails, 260 meter long welded rail panels and improved flash butt welding technology.Introduction of 160/200 kmph Self Propelled Accident Relief Trains.Induction of crash worthy LHB coaches with anti-climb feature.Rehabilitation of identified 17 distressed bridges over next one year.Provision of comprehensive fire and smoke detection systems.Provision of portable fire extinguishers in Guard-cum-Brake Vans, AC Coaches and Pantry Cars in all trains.Use of fire retardant furnishing materials in coaches.Measures initiated to deal with elephant related accidents.Four companies of women RPF personnel set up and another 8 to be set up to strengthen the security of rail passengers, especially women passengers.Recruitment to RPF with 10% vacancies reserved for women.7. Staff WelfareFund allocation for staff quarters enhanced to Rs 300 crProvision of hostel facilities for single women railway employees at all divisional headquartersExtending treatment facility in case of medical emergency to RELHS beneficiaries to all cities in hospitals empanelled with CGHS and RailwaysCondition of barracks to be improved for RPF personnelProvision of water closets and air conditioners in the locomotive cabs to avoid stress being faced by loco pilots8. Training and Recruitment1.52 lakh vacancies being filled up this year out of which 47000 vacancies have been earmarked for weaker sections and physically challengedImparting skills to the youth in railway related trades in 25 locationsSetting up of a multi-disciplinary training institute at Nagpur for training in rail related electronics technologiesSetting up of a centralized training institute at Secunderabad – Indian Railways Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM)Five fellowships in national universities to be instituted to motivate students to study and undertake research on IR related issues at M.Phil and Ph.D. levelsSetting up of a chair at TERI promoting railway related research to reduce carbon footprint9. ConcessionsComplimentary card passes to recipients of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna & Dhyan Chand Awards to be valid for travel by 1 st Class/2nd ACComplimentary card passes to Olympic Medalists and DronacharyaAwardees for travel in Rajdhani/Shatabadi TrainsTravel by Duronto Trains permitted on all card passes issued to sportpersons having facility of travel by Rajdhani/Shatabadi TrainsFacility of complimentary card passes valid in 1st class/2nd AC extended to parents of posthumous unmarried awardees of Mahavir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, President's Police Medal for Gallantry and Police Medal for GallantryPolice Gallantry awardees to be granted one complimentary pass every year for travel along with one companion in 2nd AC in Rajdhani/Shatabadi TrainsPasses for freedom fighters to be renewed once in three years10. Annual Plan 2013-14Highest ever plan outlay of 63363 crGross Budgetary Support -26,000 crRailway Safety Fund - 2,000 crInternal Resources - 14,260 crEBR - Market Borrowing - 15,103 crEBR - PPP - 6,000 cr500 km new lines, 750 km doubling, 450 km gauge conversion targeted in 2013-14.