Railway Budget 2015: Highlights

New Delhi, Feb 26: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu presented the Railway Budget of 2015-16 on Thursday. Here are the highlights of the first full-fledged budget of the Narendra Modi government:

• No hike in passenger fare
  
• No new trains announced
  
• Tickets can be booked 120 days in advance instead of 60 days to tackle tout menace
  
• Outlay for passenger amenities raised by 67
  
• Plan expenditure to go up to a record Rs 1.1 lakh crore in 2015-16 from Rs 66,000 crore in the previous years
  
• New trains can save 20% of journey time, similar to bullet trains
  
• The speed of passenger trains across nine corridors will be increased from 110 kilometre to 160-200 km
  
• Introduction of air-conditioned coaches for suburban trains
  
• Wi-fi to be available at 400 railway stations
• SMS alert for train timings
• To revamp station redevelopment policy completely
• Bidding system for redevelopment of stations
• Developing 10 satellite railway stations this year
• 800 km of gauge conversion to be commissioned
• E-catering introduced in 108 trains, can order on IRCTC website
• To expand water vending machines in more stations
• On-board entertainment facility may be extended on Shatabdi trains
• Mobile charging stations to be introduced in general class coaches
• More general class coaches to be added to select trains for benefit of the common man
• Railways to spend over Rs 8 lakh crore over 5 years
• Pension funds, multi-lateral banks have shown interest in Railways
• Proposed best operating ratio in 9 years, of 88.5 per cent for 2015-16
• Railways to increase track capacity by 10 per cent to 1.38 lakh kilometres
• Feasibility report of high-speed train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad expected by mid-2015
• To improve cleanliness & design of bed linen
• All India 24x7 grievances helpline 138 to begin soon
• Wagon-making scheme to be reviewed for private investment

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