Indian Railway Interim Budget- 2014

- No Increase in Passenger Fares and Freight

- Outlay of Rs 64,305 Crore Proposed for Rail Budget with A Budgetary Support of Rs 30,223 Crore

- 17 New Premium Trains, 38 Express Trains and 10 Passenger Trains Proposed

- Surveys For 19 New Lines and  Doubling of 5  Tracks to be Taken Up- Feasibility Study for High Speed Trains in Mumbai-Ahmedabad Corridor and Semi High Speed Projects to Taken Up on Select Routes

- To Prevent Fire Incidents Portable Fire-Extinguishers in Coaches and Induction Based Cooking Introduced in Pantry Cars

- Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh to be on Railway Map

- No Unmanned Level Crossing Left with the Elimination of 5,400 Unmanned Crossings

- More Bio-Toilets in Trains and Green Curtains Along the Track Close to Major Stations

- Independent Rail Tariff Authority Set-Up to Advice on Fares and Freight

- Loading Target Raised to 1,052 Million Tonne and Freight Earnings Target Revised to Rs 94,000 Crore less 72 new trains are being introduced which includes 17 Premium trains, 38 Express trains, 10 Passenger trains, 4 MEMU and 3 DEMU in this year’s Interim Railway Budget. Three trains will be extended and frequency of same number of trains will be increased.

Premium Trains:

i. Howrah – Pune AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Nagpur, Manmad

ii. Kamakhya – New Delhi AC Express (Weekly) via Chhapra, Varanasi

iii. Kamakhya – Chennai AC Express (Weekly) via Malda, Howrah

iv. Mumbai – Howrah AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Nagpur, Raipur

v. Mumbai – Patna AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Khandwa, Itarsi, Manikpur

vi. Nizamuddin – Madgaon AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Kota, Vasai Road

vii. Sealdah –Jodhpur AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Mughalsarai

viii. Yesvantpur - Jaipur AC Express (Weekly) via Gulbarga, Pune, Vasai Road

ix. Ahmedabad – Delhi Sarai Rohilla Express (Tri-weekly) via Palanpur, Ajmer, Rewari

x. Bandra – Amritsar Express (Weekly) Via Kota, New Delhi, Ambala

xi. Bandra (T) – Katra Express (Weekly) via Kota, New Delhi, Ambala

xii. Gorakhpur – New Delhi Express (Bi-weekly) via Lucknow, Moradabad

xiii. Katra – Howrah Express (Weekly) Express via Mughalsarai, Varanasi, Saharanpur

xiv. Mumbai – Gorakhpur Express ( Bi-weekly) via Khandwa, Jhansi, Kanpur

xv. Patna– Bangalore Express (Weekly) via Mughalsarai, Chheoki, Manikpur, Nagpur

xvi. Yesvantpur – Katra Express (Weekly) via Gulbarga, Kacheguda, Nagpur, New Delhi

xvii. Thiruvananthpuram – Bangalore (Yesvantpur) Express (Bi- weekly) via Erode, Tirupattur less Express Trains :

i. Ahmedabad – Katra Express (Weekly) via Palanpur, Jaipur, Rewari, Hisar, Bathinda, Amritsar

ii. Ahmedabad – Lucknow Jn Express (Weekly) via Palanpur, Jaipur, Bandikui, Mathura, Kasganj

iii. Ahmedabad – Allahabad Express (Weekly) via Jalgaon, Khandwa, Itarsi, Satna, Manikpur

iv. Amritsar – Gorakhpur Express (Weekly) via Saharanpur, Moradabad, Sitapur Cantt.

v. Aurangabad – Renigunta Express (Weekly) via Parbhani, Bidar, Vikarabad

vi. Bangalore – Chennai Express (Daily) via Bangarpet, Jolarpettai

vii. Bandra (T) – Lucknow Jn Express (Weekly) via Kota, Mathura, Kasganj

viii. Bareilly – Bhopal Express (Weekly) via Chandausi, Aligarh, Tundla, Agra

ix. Bhavnagar – Bandra Express (Weekly) via Ahmedabad

x. Bhavnagar- Delhi Sarai Rohilla Link Express (Weekly)

xi. Gandhidham – Puri Express (Weekly)

xii. Gorakhpur – Pune Express (Weekly) via Lucknow, Kanpur, Bina, Manmad

xiii. Guntur-Kacheguda Double Decker Express (Bi-weekly);

xiv. Howrah – Yeswantpur AC Express (Weekly)via Bhubaneswar, Gudur, Katpadi

xv. Hubli – Mumbai Express (weekly) via Bijapur, Sholapur

xvi. Hyderabad – Gulbarga Intercity (Daily)

xvii. Jaipur – Chandigarh Intercity (Daily) via Jhajjar;

xviii. Kacheguda – Tirupati Double Decker Express (Bi Weekly);

xix. Kota – Jammu Tawi Express (Weekly) via New Delhi, Ambala

xx. Kanpur – Bandra (T) Express (Weekly) via Kasganj, Mathura, Kota

less Express Trains

xx. Kanpur – Bandra (T) Express (Weekly) via Kasganj, Mathura, Kota

xxi. Lucknow – Kathgodam Express (Tri-weekly)

xxii. Manduadih – Jabalpur Express (Weekly) via Allahabad, Manikpur, Satna

xxiii. Malda Town – Anand Vihar Express (Weekly) via Amethi & Rae Bareli;

xxiv. Mannargudi – Jodhpur Express (Weekly) via, Jaipur

xxv. Mumbai – Chennai Express (Weekly) via Pune, Gulbarga, Wadi

xxvi. Mumbai – Gorakhpur Express (Weekly) via Gonda, Balrampur, Barhani (after gauge conversion);

xxvii. Mumbai – Karmali AC Express (Weekly) via Roha

xxviii. Nanded – Aurangabad Express (Weekly) via Purna, Parbhani

xxix. Nagpur – Rewa Express (Weekly) via Satna

xxx. Nagercoil – Kacheguda Express (Weekly) via Karur, Namakkal, Salem

xxxi. Pune – Lucknow Express (Weekly) via Khandwa, Bhopal, Bina, Jhansi, Kanpur

xxxii. Ramnagar – Chandigarh Express (Weekly) via Moradabad, Saharanpur

xxxiii. Ranchi – New Jalpaiguri Express (Weekly) via Jhajha, Katihar

xxxiv. Secunderabad – Visakhapatnam AC Express (Weekly) via Kazipeth, Vijaywada

xxxv. Santragachi – Anandvihar Express (Weekly)

xxxvi. Srigangnagar – Jammu Tawi Express (Weekly) via Abohar, Bathinda, Dhuri

xxxvii. Thiruvananathapuram-Nizamuddin Express (Bi-weekly) one day via Kottayam and one day via Allepey

xxxviii. Varanasi – Mysore Express (Bi-weekly) via Wadi, Daund

Passenger trains :

i. Bina – Katni Passenger (Daily)

ii. Dekargaon – Naharlagun Passenger (Daily) after completion of new line

iii. Gunupur - Visakhapatnam Passenger (Daily)

iv. Hubli - Belgaum Fast Passenger (Daily)

v. Jaipur – Phulera Passenger (Daily)

vi. Mannargudi – Mayiladuthurai Passenger (Daily)

vii. Punalur – Kanniyakumari Passenger (Daily) via Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram

viii. Sambalpur – Bhawanipatna Passenger (Daily)

ix. Tatanagar – Chakulia Passenger (Daily)

x. Tiruchendur – Tirunelveli Passenger (Daily)

MEMU Trains :

1.    Anand – Dakor (Daily 2 services)

2.    Anuppur-Ambikapur (6 days a week)

3.    Delhi – Rohtak Passenger (Daily 2 services)

4.    Santragachi – Jhargram  (5 days a week)

DEMU Trains :

1.    Morbi – Maliya Miyana

2.    Ratlam – Fatehabad Chandrawati Ganj (Daily) after gauge conversion

3.    Rewari – Rohtak (Daily)Extension of Trains

1.    14705/14706  Delhi Sarai Rohilla – Sujangarh Express to  Jodhpur

2.    15281/15282 Patna – Saharsa Express to Murliganj

3.    15013 / 15014 Kathgodam – Bhagat Ki Kothi Ranikhet Express to Jaisalmer

Increase in Frequency:

1.    16571/16572 Bidar – Yesvantpur Express 3 days to daily

2.    17225/17226 Hubli – Vijayawada Express from 3 days to daily

3.    17319/17320 Hubli – Secunderabad Express from 3 days to daily

During the year 2013-14 the Railways have completed 1,532 km of New Line, Doubling and Gauge Conversion against a revised target of 1,525 km. Sections commissioned in 2013-14 include:

New Lines

a. Karur – Salem (85 Km)

b. Koderma – Nawadih (34 Km)

c. Lalitpur – Tikamgarh (51.5 Km)

d. New Morinda to Sanewal (54 Km) thereby complete commissioning of Chandigarh – Ludhiana

e. Qazigund – Banihal (19 Km)

f. Kadur – Chikmaglur (46 Km)

Gauge Conversion:

a. Hanumangarh – Sriganganagar (64Km)

b. Manamadurai – Virudunagar (67 Km)

c. Darum Madhepura – Murliganj (22 Km)

d. Kolar – Chickballapur (85 Km)

e. Rangiya – Rangapara North – Dekargaon (145 Km)

Doubling:

a. Panskura – Shyamchak (27 km) 3rd Line

b. Muri – Tulin (1.5 km) Doubling 2nd Bridge over River Subernarekha

c. Jirat – Ambika Kalna (20.23 km)

d. Magrahat – Diamond Harbour (15 km)

e. Kursela-Karagola (17 km)

f. Katereah-Kosi cabin (4km)

g. Madur – Mandya (19 km)

h. Birur – Ajjampur (18km) less Surveys for nineteen new lines will be taken up during 2014-15.

New Lines

i. Tiptur – Dudda

ii. Nimach – Singoli - Kota

iii. Dahod – Modasa

iv. Karad – Kadegaon – Lenare – Kharsundi – Attapadi – Diganchi – Mahud - Pandharpur

v. Etah – Aligarh

vi. Karnal – Yamuna Nagar via Asandih

vii. Extension of Tindivanam – Nagari new line up to Puducherry

viii. Challekere – Hiriyur – Huliyur – Chikkanayakanahalli – KB Cross – Turuvekere - Channarayanpatna

ix. Betul – Chandur Bazar - Amravati

x. Chakia – Kesariya (Kaithwalia)

xi. Miraj – Kavathemahankal – Jath - Bijapur

xii. Pune – Baramati via Saswad, Jejuri, Moregaon

xiii. Etawah – Auraiya – Bhognipur – Ghatampur – Jahanabad – Bakewar – Bindki Road

xiv. Haldaur – Dhampur

xv. Belgaum – Hubli via Kitturu

xvi. Pune – Ahmednagar via Kegdaon Kasti

xvii. Bellary – Lingasugur via Siruguppa, Sindhanur

xviii. Ghatanandur – Shrigonda Road / Daund via Kaij, Manjarsumbha, Patoda and Jamkhed

xix. Birari – Mahatoni – Marwara – Mandanpur – Dhamoni - Sagar Safety Measures Proposed

I. Planning for induction of indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) over Indian Railways after successfully completing field trials;

II. Provision of improved safety systems with audio visual warning to road users in advance of approaching trains;

III. Development of ‘crashworthy’ structural design capable of absorbing high impact loads in unfortunate case of collision/accidents;

IV. Offering employment to over 1 lakh persons against existing vacancies in Group C categories in the last five years, and to 1.6 lakh persons in erstwhile Group D categories;

V. Provision of Vigilance Control Device (VCD) in all electric and diesel locomotives to monitor and judge the alertness of driver to ensure safety of the train;

VI. A Comprehensive Fire and Smoke Detection System is on trial on two rakes of Rajdhani Express trains. Based on the success of these trials, this will be extended to all major passenger trains; and

VII. Besides, various measures undertaken to prevent fire incidents on trains are as under:-

a) Use of fire retardant materials inside coaching vehicles;

b) Multi-tier protection for electric circuits;

c) Provision of portable fire extinguishers in AC coaches, Guard-cum-luggage break vans, pantry cars and locomotives;

d) Introduction of electrical induction based cooking appliances in replacement of LPG in pantries and

e) Intensive checks on parcel vans and Guard-cum-luggage break vans against explosives and inflammable less 

Rail Tariff Authority Being Set Up

In a path breaking decision, an independent Rail Tariff Authority is being set-up to advise the Government on fixing of fares and freight of Railways. Determination of rates will no longer be an exercise behind veils where the Railways and the users could only peep covertly at what was happening on the other side.

The Rail Tariff Authority will not only consider the requirements of the Railways but also engage with all stake-holders to usher in a new pricing regime through a transparent process. This would lead to an era of rationalisation of fares and freight structures for improving the fare–freight ratio and gradually bringing down cross subsidization between different segments. It is expected that this would go a long way towards improving the financial health of the Railways, lead to growth to match expectations of the nation and provide stability by minimizing volatility of revenue streams

Information Technology has revolutionized the Railways customer interface over the last few years and will continue.

Some of the initiatives that would be taken are -

· proliferation of cash accepting Automatic Ticket Vending Machines;

· Ticketing on mobile phones in the unreserved segment;

· PNR status update to passengers through system generated SMS;

· an update for train running information; Online booking of retiring rooms at all  important stations;

· Online booking of meals on trains for selected en-route stations;

· Introduction of e-forwarding note and electronic transmission of railway receipts for freight customers, which will enable users to carry out freight business with Railways from the comfort of their homes and offices; and

· Computerisation of claims settlement process on Indian Railways. less