Mamata presents Railway Budget 2009-10

Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee presented the railway budget 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha today. Banerjee says an expert committee will be set up to advise her on the implementation of "so-called economically unviable but socially desired projects".

Here are the highlights of the rail budget:
Banerjee says her priorities would include better passenger amenities, safety and security, and provision of good quality food and drinking water, Banerjee said.
The railway ministry has plans to develop important stations through private-public partnership. These include CST Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Howrah, Sealdah, Varanasi, New Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kanpur, Chennai Central, Thiruvananthapuram Central,Secunderabad, Bangalore City, Byappanahalli, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Habibganj, Agra Central, Chandigarh, Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, Puri and Kochi.
Railways to develop multi-functional complexes with shopping malls, food stalls, medicines and variety stores in different parts of the country. Infotainment services to be provided in major long-distance trains, Banerjee says.One doctor to be posted on long distance trains, says Banerjee. SMS updates on wait-listed tickets to be introduced, says Banerjee. Auto-vending machines to be installed in large and medium stations, says the railway minister.
High-capacity air-conditioned double-decker trains to be introduced on select inter-city routes, says Banerjee. Unreserved ticketing terminals to be expanded from 5000 to 8000. Automatic ticket vending machines to be increased. Arrangement will be made with department of posts for issuance of tickets.
An Integrated Security System is being developed for 130 vulnerable stations to provide security to passengers, explains Banerjee. Seven nursing colleges to be set up on railway land in places including Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. Railway medical colleges to be developed along with rail hospitals on public-private partnership.
Better representation to be given to minorities, women and the economically backward in railway recruitment. Special recruitment drive to be launched to fill vacancies in physically-handicapped category, says Banerjee.18,000 wagons to be acquired during the current year, says Banerjee. Railways making efforts with Department of Heavy Industries for takeover of ailing wagon manufacturing units like Burn Standards, says the railway minister.
New policy to be launched for construction and operation of private freight terminals. Railways to develop cold storages for farmers to store vegetables and fruits. Superfast parcel express trains to be started on a pilot basis between Delhi and Chennai and Delhi and Mumbai. Land banks will be set up to be used for industry, a new coach factory with state-of-the-art facilities, exclusively for manufacturing 500 coaches per annum to be set up at Kanchrapara in West Bengal. Work on coach factory in Rae Bareli to be speeded up. Railways to set up a 1000 MW power plant.
Ladies' specials to be introduced in suburban trains during peak hours. Freight loading target for 2009-10 set at 882 million tonnes, an increase of 39 million tonnes, says Banerjee. Photo-ID cards cum credit cards to be given to accredited journalists. Travel concession has been increased from 30 to 50 per cent for them.
Twelve non-stop point-to-point trains between select cities to be introduced. The sections include -- Howrah-Mumbai, Delhi-Lucknow, Delhi-Chennai, Delhi-Pune, Delhi-Allahabad, Howrah-Delhi, Sealdah-Delhi and Railways will receive an additional budgetary support of Rs5000 crore in the current year.Ernakulum-Delhi. Qazigund-Anantnag rail section in Kashmir to be completed by August.Tatkal scheme to be reviewed. The minimum Tatkal charge to be Rs 100 from earlier Rs 150. No increase in passenger fares and freight tariff.