Zeenews Report
New Delhi, Feb 13: Presenting his Interim Railway Budget in Parliament, Lalu Yadav today handed a parting gift by announcing a 2% cut in passenger fares across the board. He left freight charges untouched, but brought down mail fares also by 2%.
The Minister took credit for the turnaround of the Railways and said that he was proud that the Railways has contributed to nation building. He presented figures that covered the 5 years of his tenure and announced plans for the future course of the Railways. The budget covered the next four months, the minister said.
Reduction in Tariffs
Reduction in passenger fares of ordinary passenger trains by one rupee for fares costing up to Rupees fifty per passenger for journey above ten kms.
Second class and sleeper class fares of all Mail/Express and ordinary passenger trains to be reduced by 2 per cent for tickets costing Rupees fifty and more per passenger.
Fares of AC First Class, AC II tier, AC III tier and AC Chair Car also to be reduced by two per cent.
Freight rates remain unchaged.
Review of Financial Performance
Record cash surplus of Rs 90,000 crore.
Apr-Sept freight earnings up 19%, passenger 14%.
Implementation of recommendations of VI Central Pay Commission (CPC) likely to cost the Railways Rs 9,000 cr more on staff costs and Rs 4,500 cr more on pensionary charges as compared with previous year.
Hence, Ordinary Working Expenses (OWE) increased to Rs 55,000 cr in the R.E and the appropriation to Pension Fund to Rs 10,500 cr.
Appropriation to DRF retained at Rs 7,000 cr.
Dividend payable to General Revenues kept at Rs 4,711 cr.
Cash surplus before dividend projected at Rs 19,320 cr and the Operating Ratio at 88.3% despite implementation of the VI CPC.
Revised plan outlay kept at Rs 36,773 cr.
Despite recession, Railways raised USD 100 million at 4% interest
Revenue decreased in Oct-Nov due to slowdown.
Railways operating ratio seen at 88% FY 09.
Invested Rs 36,773 crore in 08-09.
Passenger earnings up 14% till September.
Performance Review
Average freight grew by 3% to 8%.
Successful trials completed for running electric locomotives with OHE at a height of about 7.5 mts in preparation for running double stack containers on electrified Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.
Work on Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor commenced near Dehri-on–Son on 10th February,2009. Work on Western DFC to commence this month.
Pre-feasibility study of bullet train between Delhi and Patna commissioned.
Fall in iron ore export, container freight this year.
FY 08 freight traffic 794 mn tonne, up 9%.
New wagon trains have 22% higher loading capacity.
Laid 1,100 km new rail lines in last 5 years.
Completed 4900 km gauge conversion in last 5 years.
Train accidents
Used new technology, in last 5yrs, there is marked decrease in rail accidents.
The number of consequential accidents came down to 194 in 2007-08 from 325 in FY 04.
Service improvement
In 5yrs 4900 km electrification 1800 km double line 1100 km single line.
71/2 mtr poles for double stack container trains on dedicated freight corridor.
New design wagon production started 4100 tonnes can be acquired.
Open wagon 22% increase in carrying capacity.
Wagon to be increased to 15,000/yr from 6,600 now.
Railways records 8% increase in freight good traffic 19% increase revenue.
Passenger 14% increase.
New initiatives in electrification.
Estimates for 2009-10
Freight loading targeted at 910 mt – an increment of 60 mt on 2008-09; number of passengers likely to grow by around 7%.
Gross Traffic Receipts estimated at Rs 93,159 cr i.e. Rs 10,766 cr more than RE 2008-09.
Rs 2,30,000 crore investment likely.
To invest Rs 70,000 crore to increase rail productivity.
Ordinary Working Expenses budgeted at Rs 62,900 cr to cover the full year impact of VI CPC and the payment of 60% arrears due in 2009-10.
Dividend payable to General Revenues kept at Rs 5,304 cr at the current applicable rates.
Budgeted Operating Ratio 89.9%.
Plan outlay kept at Rs 37,905 cr.
To raise 100 mn debt at 4%.
Railways plans to takeover Burn Standard and Co.
Construction of rail wheel factory at Chappra in full swing.
Railway to create new divisions at Bhagalpur, Thane.
25 surveys planned for 14 new lines, 3 gauge conversion.
25 survey planned for 8 doubling projects.
WB to take 50% stake in metro svc expansion.
Railway to increase coach volume in 16 trains.
Railways to pay 53 bln rupees dividend in FY10.
Railways to borrow 75 bln rupees in FY10.
Total plan outlay for FY10 at 379 bln rupees.
Railways to invest 34 bln rupees via PPP in FY10.
Rail Vikas to borrow 5.3 bln rupees FY10.
Passenger traffic to go up by 7% in FY10.
Gross traffic receipts 931 bln rupees.
IRFC revised borrow aim for FY09 unchaged at 69 bln rupees.
FY10 freight loading at 910 mn tn
For employees
Pay commission recommendation implemented.
Sixth pay commission to benefit 1.4 million employees, 1.1 mn pensioners.
Total impact of pay panels proposals at Rs 135 bn.
Customers can now book tickets online.
Huge improvement in Rail security.
Train services
Agartala, the capital of the Tripura, has been connected by line. First train service in J&K to Anantnag and Rajwansher. Rail line to be extended to Baramulla and Qazigund in 4 months.
New Trains
Bilaspur - Tirunelveli via Thiruvanathpuram Express (Weekly)
Ranchi -Jaynagar Express (Tri-weekly)
Secunderabad – Manuguru Superfast (Daily)
Mumbai - Karwar Superfast (Tri-weekly)
Bhopal - Lucknow Junction Garib Rath Express (Weekly)
Durg - Jaipur Express (Weekly)
Chhatrapati Sahu terminal(Kolhapur)–Dhanbad Link Service via Parasnath (Weekly)
Sengottai - Erode Passenger (Daily)
Dibrugarh Town - Chandigarh Express (Weekly)
Ajmer - Bhagalpur via Delhi Garib Rath Express (Bi-weekly)
Nizamuddin – Bangalore via Kacheguda Rajdhani Express (Tri-weekly)
Barauni - Delhi Jan Sadharan Superfast (Bi-weekly)
Mumbai – Varanasi Superfast (Daily)
Mysore -Yesvantpur Express (Daily)
Jamalpur – Gaya Passenger
Koraput – Rourkela Express via Rayagada (Daily)
Agra - Ajmer Superfast (Daily)
Sitamarhi – Patna Link Service (Daily)
Tiruchchirapalli - Madurai Express (Daily)
Mumbai - Bikaner Superfast (Bi-weekly)
Jaynagar – Ajmer Link Service (Bi-weekly)
Agra - Lucknow Junction Shatabdi Express (Daily)
Gandhidham - Kolkata Superfast (Weekly)
New Delhi – Guwahati Rajdhani Express via Bhagalpur (Weekly)
Mumbai - Tirunelvelli Superfast via Thiruvanathpuram (Bi-weekly)
Jammu Tawi – Darbhanga Garib Rath Express (Weekly)
Saharsa – Delhi via Express Patna (Weekly)
Gwalior - Bhopal Intercity Express via Guna (5 days a week)
Coimbatore -Tuticorin Link Service (Daily)
Howrah -Haridwar Superfast (5 days a week)
Machhalipatnam – Mumbai Superfast (Bi-weekly)
Varanasi - Jammu Tawi Superfast (Daily)
Gorakhpur - Mumbai Superfast (Daily)
Jhajha – Patna MEMU
New Delhi – Palwal MEMU
New Delhi – Guwahati Rajdhani Express via Muzaffarpur (Weekly)
Veraval – Mumbai Link service (Daily)
Ranchi –Patna Jan Shatabdi (Daily)
Jhansi – Chhindwara Superfast (Bi-weekly)
Mumbai – Jodhpur Express (Weekly)
Hajipur – Bagaha Link Service
Howrah – Delhi Link Service via Azimganj- Bhagalpur (Weekly)
Sitamarhi –Delhi Garib Rath Express via Patna (Weekly)
Extension of Trains
5761/5762 Ranchi – Alipurduar Express to Guwahati
9269/9270 Porbandar – Bapudham Motihari Express to Muzaffapur
1471/1472 Jabalpur – Bhopal Express to Laxmibai Nagar, Indore
6865/6866 Ernakulam – Tiruchchirapalli Express to Nagore
3155/3156 Kolkata – Darbhanga Mithilanchal Express to Sitamarhi
2175/2176 Howrah – Gwalior Chambal Express to Mathura
2177/2178 Howrah – Agra Cantt Chambal Express to Mathura
6507/6508 Jodhpur – Bangalore Express to Coimbatore
2187/2188 Jabalpur – Mumbai Garib Rath Express to Allahabad
2927/2928 Mumbai – Vadodara Express to Chhotaudepur
541/542 Patna – Darbhanga Kamlaganga Fast Passenger to Biraul
3113/3114 Kolkata – Murshidabad Hazar Duari Express to Lalgola
2909/2910 Mumbai – Jaipur Garib Rath Express to Delhi
2143/2144 Nagpur–Gaya Dikshabhoomi Parasnath Express to Dhanbad via Parasnath
Increase in Frequency
2423/2424 New Delhi – Guwahati/Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express from 5 days to
6 days
2443/2444 Bhubaneshwar – New Delhi Rajdhani Express from 2 days to 4
days
2395/2396 Ajmer – Rajendra Nagar Ziyarat Express from weekly to Biweekly
2211/2212 Nizamuddin – Bapudham Motihari Garib Rath from weekly to Biweekly
2183/2184 Bhopal – Lucknow Junction Express from Bi-weekly to Triweekly
7091/7092 Secunderabad – Patna Express from Bi-weekly to Daily
2739/2740 Secunderabad – Vishakhapatnam Garib Rath Express from 4 days to
Daily
2111/2112 Amravati – Mumbai Amravati Express from Tri-weekly to
Daily
2149/2150 Pune – Patna Express from 4 days a week to Daily
2957/2958 Ahmedabad – New Delhi Rajdhani Express from 6 days to
Daily
2947/2948 Ahmedabad–Patna Azimabad Express from Bi-weekly to Triweekly
2887/2888 Puri – Howrah Express from weekly to Bi-weekly
2487/2488 Jogbani – Delhi Seemanchal Express from 5 days to 6 days a
week
2823/2824 Nizammudin-Durg Chattisgarh Sampark Kranti from 2 days to 3
days a week
First Published: Friday, February 13, 2009, 00:00