Rail Budget: No hike in passenger, freight rates

New Delhi, Feb 24 (ANI): Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has not proposed any hike in passenger or freight rates.

Presenting her second Rail Budget in the Lok Sabha, Banerjee said Railways will not be privatised but will develop business models for improving earnings.

On the rail safety front she said all the 13,000 unmanned level crossings will be manned in next five years and announced creation of Women Wing of Railway Protection Force.

Highlighting efforts being made for safety and security of the passenger, Banerjee said that the railway is developing crashworthy coaches and locomotives and will provide automatic fire and smoke detection system in 20 pairs of long-distance trains as pilot project.

While ruling out any forcible acquisition of land for freight corridor projects She allowed private operators to run special freight train.

In a budget which she claimed was focused on "aam aadmi', she said a special task force would be set up to clear Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) proposals in Railways within 100 days.

"One thousand km rail lines will be completed in one year and a special drive will be launched for passenger amenities, she added. (ANI)