Budget 2020: Nirmala Sitharaman proposes more Tejas-like trains, 100 more airports

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday (February 1) announced some key projects for the Indian Railways, including more Tejas Express-style trains on key tourist routes of the country. "More Tejas type trains will connect iconic destinations," the Finance Minister said while presenting the Union Budget 2020.

Sitharaman said that as many as 150 trains will be running on Indian Railway network in the coming year under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and that the request for quotation invite has already been sent. 

The Finance Minister also announced that 550 wi-fi facilities have been commissioned at railway stations, adding that 1,150 trains will be run in PPP mode and four stations to be redeveloped with help of private sector. Sitharaman said that a governance framework for ports will be set up, adding "It will also look at one major port and its listing on the stock exchanges." 

The Cabinet minister also announced the setting up of 100 new airports by 2024 and the aim to double the fleet of commercial flights to 1,200.

The Tejas Express is India's first semi-high speed fully air-conditioned train Introduced by Indian Railways. It features modern onboard facilities with doors which are operated automatically. These trains are among the fastest trains in India and get the highest priority on the Indian railway network.