Highlights of the Interim Railway Budget- 2014

Presenting the Interim Railway Budget for 2014-15, Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday announced a slew of measures for improving the services of Indian Railways.

Here are the highlights of the Interim Railway Budget 2014-15:
Achievements/Initiatives

• Major landmark achievement in National Project of Kashmir
  
  
• State of Meghalaya and capital of Arunachal Pradesh to be on Railway Map by this fiscal.
  
  
• Gauge Conversion of strategically important 510 km Rangiya – Murkongselek line in Assam to be completed by this fiscal.
  
  
• XIth Five Year Plan Targets exceeded in New Lines (2,207 km) , Doubling (2,758 km) and Electrification (4,556 km), Production of Diesel (1,288) & Electrical (1,218) Locos and Acquisition of Wagons (64,875)
  
  
• Dedicated Freight Corridors on the Eastern and Western Routes – leading to strategically critical capacity augmentation.
  
  
• Railways met from its own means the total additional impact of Rs one lakh crore due to implementation of 6th Pay Commission
  
  
• In 2013-14, 1532 km of New Lines, Doubling and Gauge Conversion commissioned.
  
  (PIB)
• Production commenced at the new factories – Rail Wheel Plant, Chhapra ; Rail Coach Factory, Rae Bareli ; and Diesel Component Factory, Dankuni.
  
• Specially designed coaches for adverse weather condition for rail travel in Kashmir.
  
• Successful development of Corrosion resistant, lighter wagons with higher pay-load and speed potential upt 100kmph.
  
• Railways sportspersons dominate national events by winning titles in 23 disciplines and runners up in 9 disciplines. In various international championships a total of 2 Gold, 4 Silver and 3 Bronze Medals won.
  
• Unigauge Policy started in 1992 has converted 19,214 km to Broad Gauge, benefitting several States including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Tamil Nadu.
• No unmanned Level Crossing
  
  A total of 5,400 unmanned level crossings eleiminated – 2,310 by manning it and 3,090 by closure / merger / construction of ROBs or RUBs.
  Improved audio – visual warning to road users in advance of approaching trains.
  Induction of indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System
  Development of ‘crashworthy’ coaches
  In last five years, offering employment to over one lakh persons in Group C categories and to 1.6 lakh persons in erstwhile Group D categories.
  Provision of Vigilance Control Device in all locomotives
  Various measures to prevent fire incidents on trains:
  
  • Fire retardant materials
  • Multi-tier protection for electric circuits
  • Portable fire extinguishers in coaches
  • Induction based cooking to replace LPG in pantry cars
  • Intensive checks against explosives and inflammable materials
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  • Rail infrastructure by cost sharing arrangement with State Governments; Karnataka, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana agreed to several projects
  • Several Public Private Partnerships (PPP) projects are in the pipeline.
    FDI being enabled to foster creation of world-class rail infrastructure.
    RailLand Development Authority raised Rs 937 crore so far.
    Modernisation and Technology Induction
    High Speed Trains
    Joint feasibility study by India and Japan for Mumbai – Ahmedabad Corridor to be co-financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency
    Business Development Study by SNCF for Mumbai – Ahmedabad corridor.
    Semi- High Speed Projects
    Exploring low cost option of speeds 160- 200 kmph on select route
  • Green Initiatives
    Railway Energy Management Company becomes functional. Windmill and solar power plants to be set up with 40% subsidy from Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.
    200 Stations, rooftops of 26 buildings and 2,000 level crossing gates to be covered.
    Railways bagged 22 out of 112 awards given by the Government.
    ‘Green Curtains’ along the track close to major stations; Pilot work at Agra and Jaipur
    Coverage of Bio-toilets in 2,500 coaches and would be increased progressively.
    Passenger Friendly Initiatives
    Overwhelming public response to e-booking of ticket
    On-line tracking of exact location and running of train movements
    51 Jan-Ahaar outlets for Janta Meals
    48 passenger escalators commisionsed at stations and 61 more being installed ; air-conditioned EMU services in Mumbai from July 2014
    information display system in important trains to indicate stations & arrival time.
    
    ‘Upgradation’ scheme extended to AC Chair Car and Executive Chair car passengers.
  • Demand Management through Dynamic Pricing
    Premium AC Special train introduced in Delhi – Mumbai Sector with shorter advance reservation period and dynamically varying premium over tatkal fare
    Enhancing Market Share
    Clearing missing links in Carrying Capacity + 8 tonne routes; freight train speeding ; upgradation of rolling stock ; increasing length of trains ; tariff and incentive schemes to encourage traffic to rail and minimizing empty running.
    Rail Tariff Authority
    Independent Rail Tariff Authority set-up to advise on fixing of fares and freight, to engage all stake-holders
    Information Technology
    
    Initiatives taken include – proliferation of cash accepting Automatic Ticket Vending Machines ; ticketing on mobile phones in unreserved segments ; system update on PNR status; online booking of retiring rooms at important stations ; online booking of meals for selected en-route stations ; introduction of e-forwarding note and electronic transmission of railway receipts for freight customers.
  • Revenue Freight Traffic
    Loading target of 1047 Million Tonnes for 2013-14 would be surpassed
    Empty Flow Discount Scheme to be implemented
    Carrying Capacity + 9 tonne + 1 tonne routes being planned
    Easing of some restrictions on movement of imported commodities through Containers
    Carrying capacity of 20 feet containers increased by 4 tonnes
    Parcel Terminals & Special Parcel Trains with scheduled timings.
    New policy on parcels to encourage transportation of milk.
    New concept of ‘hub and spoke’ for parcel business
    
    Third party warehousing in Special Parcel Terminals envisaged.
  • Financial Performance 2012-13
    
    • Loading of 1,008 Million Tonnes surpassed the R.E. target of 1,007 Million Tonnes
    • Paid full dividend Rs 5,389 crore to General Exchequer
    • 90.2% Operating Ratio in 2012-13
    • Repayment in full with interest of Rs 3,000 crore loan from the Government
    • Railway Fund Balances of Rs 2,391 crore
    Financial Performance 2013-14
    
    
    • Loading Target raised to 1,052 Million Tonne from B.E. 1,047 Million Tonne.
    • Freight Earnings Target revised to Rs 94,000 crore from B.E. Rs 93,554 crore
    • Stringent Financial control exercised and Ordinary Working Expenses pegged only at Rs 560 crore higher than Budget Estimates, despite various post-budgetary factors
    • Plan Outlay revised to Rs 59,359 crore
    • Operating Ratio likely to be 90.8%
    • Fund Balances to continue to grow to Rs 8,018 crore
    • Budget Estimates 2014-15
      
      • Loading target of 1,101 Million Tonnes
        
      • Gross Traffic Receipts targeted at Rs 1,60,775 crore with Passenger Earnings (Rs 45,255 crore), Goods (Rs 1,05,770 crore), Other Coaching & Sundry Earnings (Rs 9,700 crore)
      • Ordinary Working Expenses placed at Rs 1,10,649 crore, higher by Rs 13,589 crore
      • Pension Outgo budgeted at Rs 27,000 crore against Rs 24,000 crore for 2013-14
      • The entire Dividend of Rs 9,117 crore to General Exchquer will be paid
      • Fund Balances likely to be Rs 12,728 crore.
      • Operating Ratio budgeted at 89.8%
      • Annual Plan 2014-15
        Annual Plan envisaged at Rs 64,305 crore with a Budgetary Support of Rs 30,223 crore , Internal Resources of Rs 10,418 crore and Extra Budgetary Resources of Rs 19,805 crore
        New Surveys : 19 New Lines & 5 Doubling
        New Trains
        17 Premium trains
        38 Express trains
        10 Passenger trains
        4 MEMU
        3 DEMU
        Extension and Increase in frequency
        3 Extension of trains
        3 increase in frequency