Rail Budget 2013-14: All the features you need to know

The Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal today  announced a fuel surcharge of just under 5 percent on freight traffic in the railway budget, but ducked the opportunity of a further round of passenger fare hikes as it gears up for a national election due next year. He nevertheless proposed minor revisions in some charges, such as those for tatkal and reservations. He also called for a routine 5-6 percent fare hike every year. Indian Railways has also turned its attention on the neglected track electrification programme, increasing the target by around 50% for the next fiscal. The national transporter would be doubling its spend on electrification to R2,000 crore next year. Bansal also said that there will be a provision of covering large number of trains under real time information system whereby rail users will be able to access information through nominated websites and mobile phones. Bansal, who represents Chandigarh in the Lok Sabha, said he was well aware about the problems faced by passengers while booking tickets on the internet. Accordingly, he promised a next-generation ticketing system by the end of this year. Here are the highlights of the Rail Budget 2013: •22 new lines to be taken up in 2013-14 • Free Wi-Fi to be provided on some trains •Superfast and Tatkal charges to rise • 67 new Express trains to be introduced; 27 new passenger trains; run of 58 trains to be extended • Cancellation charges increased for all classes between Rs 5 and Rs 50. No increase in parcel and luggage rates. • Tatkal charges for sleeper class raised by Rs 15 to Rs 25 and for AC Chair car from Rs 25 to Rs 50. Tatkal charges in AC-3 tier increased by Rs 50; AC-2 tier and Executive class by Rs 100. • Reservation fee for AC First and Executive classes raised to Rs 60 from Rs 35 and that of First Class and AC-2 doubled to Rs 50. Reservation fee for AC Chair Car, AC-3 Economy and AC-3 tier increased to Rs 40 from Rs 25. Supplementary charges for superfast trains raised between Rs 5 and Rs 25. • 4 companies of women RPF personnel set up;another 8 to be set up to strengthen security, especially women passengers. 10% RPF vacancies being reserved for women • 1.52 lakh vacancies being filled up this year; 47000 of this earmarked for weaker sections and physically challenged • In select trains passengers can contact on-board staff through SMS/phone/e-mail for coach cleanliness & real time feedback • Internet ticketing from 0030 hours to 2330 hours • Enhanced reservation fee abolished • ‘Aadhar’ to be used for various passenger and staff related services • Next Gen e-ticketing system to be rolled out;will handle 7200 tickets/minute as of 2000 now • Progressive extension of bio-toilets on trains •179 escalators and 400 lifts at A-1 and other major stations to be installed facilitating elderly and differently-abled • Associate voluntary organizations for providing first aid services at railway station • Fund allocation for staff quarters enhanced to Rs 300 cr • 1800 111321 toll free number for redressal of complaints related to catering • Propose setting up of executive lounge at Patna, Agra, Bilaspur, Nagpur [caption id=“attachment_640092” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] AFP[/caption] • New debt service fund to be set up • Will close fiscal 2012-13 with fund balance against previous deficit; need to build fund balance to Rs.30,000 crore by end of 12th Plan • Operating ratio of 88.8 percent achieved • Dividend reduced from 5 to 4 percent • Electrification of 1,200 km to be completed this year • 72 additional suburban services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata • No increase in passenger fares • Rs.6,600 crore increase in earnings from fare adjustment in January • Rs.63,000 crore investment in 2013-14 • 1,047 million tonnes freight loading estimated during 2013-14 • Passenger earnings of Rs 42,000 crore estimated in 2013-14 • Indian Railways Institute of Financial Management to be set up at Secunderabad • Chair at Delhi to promote research in reducing carbon footprint • Winners of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Dhyan Chand awards to get free first class passes • Complementary first class passes for parents of unmarried posthumous awardees of Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra • Complementary passes of freedom fighters to be renewed every three years instead of annually • New wheel factory to be set up at Rae Bareli • Greenfiled EMU manufacturing facility at Bhilwara • Railway energy management company to be set up to harness solar and wind energy • 1,000 crossings to be energised by solar power • Locomotive cabs to be air-conditioned • Azadi Express to be introduced to travel to places associated with freedom struggle • India in 1 billion tonne freight club • By end of 2013-14, 1,500 km of contracts to be awarded for two dedicated rail corridors • Rs.1 lakh crore target set for public-private-partnership route • Rs.100 crore for improving stations in New Delhi • Seventeen bridges identified for repair • Smoke and fire detection system envisaged • Fire extinguishers to be kept in guard vans • Corporate plan for 10 years to be drawn up • Six more Rail Neer bottling plants to be set up • Losses mounted from Rs.22,500 crore in 2011-12 to Rs.24,600 crore in 2012-13 • Planning Commission pegged 12th Plan at Rs.125.19 lakh crore • India’s railway will borrow Rs 151.03 billion  from markets for the financial year 2013/2014 • Fall in accidents - per million accidents down from .41 to .13