Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: Highlights of Railway Budget 2008-09

Highlights of Railway Budget 2008-09
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SPECIALCORRESPONDENT on 26 February, 2008 02:11:00
 
Passenger fares reduced across the board
Second class fares for journeys over 50 km to cost 5 percent less
Sleeper fares down by 5 percent
AC III-tier fares cut by 2 percent
AC II-tier fares reduced 4 percent
AC first class fares down 7 percent
Freight rates slashed by 14 percent across the board
Freight charges for petrol and diesel cut by 5 percent
Free season tickets to girl students till graduation
50 percent concession for AIDS patients, senior women citizens and Ashok Chakra
awardees
Arrival time to be printed on tickets
Wait-listed e-tickets to be introduced
Tickets to be confirmed through mobile phones
20,000 km of high-density network planned
30 major stations to have multi-level platforms
All level crossings to be manned
Staff benefit fund to be increased by 10 times this fiscal
Only stainless steel coaches to be made from now on
Many Rajdhani trains extended to cover more destinations
Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains to have new coaches by 2011
Hospital trains to be introduced with healthcare and operating facilities
16,548 km of railway track to be replaced
Railways to build cargo terminals in 50 major locations
Private companies can have their own cargo terminals on railway land
Wagon leasing policy introduced to facilitate business
Additional Rs.200 billion earned on freight services
790 tonnes payload or weight per freight train target achieved
Payload to go up 78 percent by increasing wagons to 58 from 40
15,000 freight wagons to be added
470 engines to be added in 2008-09
15,000 automated ticket machines by 2009
Smartcard technology for ticketing system
Rs.40 billion to be spent on green toilets
More trains in peak season
Rs.250 billion in profits in 2007-08
New earnings of 21 percent in 2007-08
Rs.300 billion to be spent on network expansion
Rs.492.50 billion invested in new projects
Cash surplus in 2007-08 at Rs.250 billion
Operating ratio a favourable 76 percent
--- IANS