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The much awaited railway budget that directly focuses on Aam Aadmi of rural as well as urban India and is the main source of commuting in India ,is out today. Mr. Suresh Prabhu has put forward a different kind of a budget and has not declared any hopes of running new trains on any sector rather he has emphasized to improve upon the existing the services in bad shape, ease out of passenger traffic congestion, and modernization/high-tech implementation in the system which is appreciable decision. It is not unlike previous railway ministers who use to declare number of new trains for their constituencies ( for fetching of vote politics).

The honest spirit behind dedicated work for the entire railway has been given and enhancing passenger experience is the main motto of this budget. Prabhu increased the funds allotment for passenger amenities by 67%. He launched initiatives that will systematically address customer concerns about cleanliness, comfort, accessibility, service quality and speed of trains.

Certain key points, in my view as a customer of the IRCTC, that will improve customer satisfaction towards railways:-

1) Better ticketing facilities: You can now book your tickets four months in advance, as against a period of two months currently. The window for reserved ticket booking will be raised to 120 days versus the 60 days.

2) No rail fare hike: Prabhu spared passengers from any hike in fares

3) Helpline: An all-India 24X7 helpline number, 138, will become functional to attend to the problems of passengers on a real time basis. Passengers will be able to call up for complaints while on trains.

4) Catering: To provide freedom to passengers to select their meals from an array of choices including local cuisine, e-catering has been introduced in 108 trains on an experimental basis from January this year. Food can be ordered through the IRCTC website at the time of booking of tickets.

5) Improved stations: Wi-Fi at all A1 and A category stations is being provided. Further, as part of Digital India initiative, Wi-Fi will be provided at B category stations as well.

So far, 1052 stations have been identified for Upgradtion of passenger amenities at Station under Adarsh station scheme. 200 more stations will be brought under this scheme.

6) Faster trains: “Average speed will increase. Trains will become more punctual,Prabhu promised.

The speed of 9 railway corridors will be increased from the existing 110 and 130 kmph to 160 and 200 km/ph respectively so that inter-metro journeys like Delhi-Kolkata and Delhi-Mumbai can be completed overnight.

7) Capacity: More berths will be made available through increase in number of coaches to meet the growing demand for confirmed seats on the trains. Trains, which are fully patronized throughout the year, will be augmented with additional coaches from trains which have relatively lower occupancy levels.

Further, capacity in identified trains will be augmented to run with 26 coaches from the existing 24 coaches. More General class coaches will be added in identified trains

8) SMS alert and Surveillance: Railways propose to introduce an “SMS Alert” service to inform passengers in advance the updated arrival/departure time of trains at starting or destination stations.
Similarly SMS alert would be sent 15/30 minutes in advance of arrival of the train at the destination.
For the safety of women passengers, surveillance cameras will be provided on a pilot basis in selected mainline coaches and ladies’ compartments of suburban coaches without compromising on privacy.

5 point strategy for transforming railways through better governance and investments

a) Adopting a medium-term perspective:

Budget proposals to mark beginning of a Five Year Action Plan to transform the Railways.

  • Rs 8,56,020 crore:Total proposed investment plan
  • Rs 1,99,320 crore:For network decongestion (including dedicated freight corridor, electrification, doubling of electrification and traffic facilities)
  • Rs 1,93,000 crore: Network expansion (including electrification)
  • Rs 39,000 crore: National Projects (Northeastern & Kashmir connectivity projects)
  • Rs 1,27,000 crore:For safety (track renewal, bridge works, railway over bridges, railway under bridges and signaling & telecom)
  • Rs 5,000 crore:Information technology/research
  • Rs 1,02,000 crore:Rolling stock (Locomotives, coaches, wagons – production & maintenance
  • Rs 12,500 crore:Passenger amenities
  • Rs 65,000 crore:High-speed rail & elevated corridor
  • Rs 1,00,000 crore:Station redevelopment and logistic parks
  • Rs 13,200 crore:Others

b) Building Partnerships:

This will require partnering with key stakeholders: States, PSUs, partner with multilateral and bi-lateral organizations and other governments to gain access to long-term financing and technology from overseas, the private sector to improve last mile connectivity, expand fleet of rolling stock and modernize our station infrastructure.

c) Leveraging additional resources:

Indian Railways envisages investment of Rs. 8.5 lakh crore in next five years to be mobilized from multiple sources to cater to funding i.e multilateral development banks, pension funds.

d) Revamping management practices, systems, processes, and re-tooling of human resources:

  • Targeted operating ratio for 2015-16 at 88.5 percent against 91.8 percent in 2014-15: best in the last 9 years.
  • Indian Railways to speed up decision making, tighten accountability, improve management information systems: training and development of human resource.

e) To set standards for Governance and Transparency

( Author Ms. Tripti Lamba is a CS Executive Student and Currently pursuing training at a practicing firm, based in New Delhi. Her Area of interest is Corporate Law and She may contacted at: triptilamba1@gmail.com)

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0 Comments

  1. Vimal Jain says:

    The decision of Railway minister to book reservation ticket in 120 days advance is very bed in the eyes of common man. This is not easy to plan journey before 120 days. Through this decision The Railway Agents and brokers will gain and general public will lose.Although Railway got interest free money form the pocket of general public. I think this is very difficult to plan journey before 120 days. I think Railway minister rethink over this decision and cut short even present 60 days limit.
    Vimal Jain,
    Jaipur

  2. K C AGARAL says:

    again planing, no piratical talk. no action for the LATE RUNNING TRAIN. NO FRUITFUL PROVISION FOR SAFETY OF PASSENGER. FOR STEALING THE LUGGAGE OF THE PASSENGER, BRIBE BY T T. , SOLUTION FOR WAITING LIST, INCREASING THE DAY FOR RESERVATION IS WAY FOR BLACK MARKING. WHY BULLET TRAIN, WHY NOT COMMON TRAIN FOR COMMON PEPOLE. OF COURSE IT IS A BUDGET OF MODI JEE, WHO IS COMMITTED FOR BULET TRAIN

  3. pravin sheth says:

    RAIL BUDGET-FY 2015-16
    BUDGET IS GOOD FOR MANY PEOPLE, SPECIALLY PPP MODEL RICH PEOPLE,BUT NOT BALANCED IN VIEW OF COMMON MAN NEED, IN THE SENSE
    01 -RAIL FARE NOT INCREASED- THAT IS NOT THE OBLIGATION-EVEN LALUJI ALSO
    DID SAME THING, BUT IT IS NOT MADE CLEAR HOW ABOUT CURRENT PRICE
    REDUCTION BENEFIT OF DIESEL OIL, WHO WILL BE BENEFITED FOR THIS?
    02- NOTHING MUCH WORRIED FOR SENIOR CITIZEN’s CONCESSION ON RAIL FARE
    EXCEPT GIVING THEM A LADDER TO CLIMB IN SLEEPER CLASS COACH.
    03- PPP MODEL MAY LOOK GOOD AS A MODIJI MODEL, BUT IT DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR
    A RAILWAY GROWTH, CASE STUDIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTRACTED FROM CURRENT
    PPP MODULES , TO CITE ONE EXAMPLE, IN GUJARAT, PPP MODEL FOR FINAL
    EFFLUENT TREATMENT PROJECTS ( FETP ) ARE NOT AT ALL FUNCTIONING
    SATISFACTORILY, RATHER GUJARAT POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD HAS TO ISSUE A
    CLOSURE NOTICE TO ALL THOSE PPP MODEL FUNCTIONING PROJECTS, FIRST &
    LARGEST PIPELINE PROJECT OF ANKLESHWAR, GUJARAT,A UNIQUE PPP MODEL
    FOR TREATED LIQUID EFFLUENT DISPOSAL TO DEEP SEA AREA IN INDIA.
    03- PPP MODEL TO GIVE NAME TO TRAIN AND TO RAILWAY STATION IS NOT GOOD AS
    ORIGINALITY OF RAILWAY WILL DISTURB AS NAMES MUST HAVE GIVEN TO SATISFY
    LOCAL RESIDENTS AND TRAVELLERS AND RELIGIOUS FEELINGS,SUCH PPP MODEL
    SHOULD NOT SET A PRECIDENCE FOR OTHER MINISTRY AS TO GIVE PPP MODEL
    NAME TO VILLEAGES, TOWNS, CITIES, DISTS, STATES AND FINALLY COUNTRY,
    BUSES, PUC AND LIKE THAT.
    RAILWAY CAN NOT BE SELF SUSTAINABLE WITH PPP MODEL.
    04- WHY BOGI’s NEED TO IMPORT, THIS CONTRADICTS PM-INDIA’s MAKE IN INDIA
    CONCEPT.
    05- WE APPRECIATE TO RAILWAY WILL ISSUE UNRESERVED TICKETS ALSO THROUGH
    INTERNET / MOBILE, THIS IS A REAL HELP TO COMMON MAN TO AVOID TO STAND
    IN A LONG QUE.
    06- SECURITY SYSTEM OF TRAIN RUNNING IS ONLY FOR ONE TRACK, BOTH THE SIDES,
    BUT SECURITY SYSTEM HAS TO BE ORGANISED FOR BOTH THE TRACKS WHEN TRAINS
    ARE RUNNING ON BOTH TRACKS AND IF ONE TRAIN FALLS ON OTHER TRACK, THERE
    IS NO SYSTEM TO STOP TRAIN INCOMING ON ANOTHER ADJACENT TRACK.
    HOPE, RAIL MINISTER WILL LOOK IN TO THIS FOR A BETTER EFFECTIVE BUDGET FOR A COMMON MAN.
    THANKS TO TAX GURU FOR PROVIDING A PLATFORM TO COMMON MAN TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS,

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