Highlights of Railway Budget 2015

• Chronic under-investment has led to poor development of Indian Railway
• 492 section of Railways running at a capacity of more than 100%; 228 running between 80-100%
• Good governance emerges out of participative governance
• People's involvement is very high with railways in the country
• Priority to improve capacity on high density network in next five years
• Railways to go through transformation in five years; to increase track capacity by 10 per cent to 1.38 lakh km
• Railways to partner with private sector, PSUs and multilateral funding institutions
• Investment of Rs 8.50 lakh crore envisaged over the next five years
• No increase in passenger fares
• People of India will own railways always; Railways will continue to be precious national asset
• Railway helpline number 138 will become operational 24x7
• Disposable linen on payment to be available at all stations
• Toll free number 182 created for security related complaints
• Rail-cum-road ticket to be extended to many stations; more trains to be added under scheme for ordering food while booking tickets
• 'We are introducing 'Operation 5-minute' to ensure ticketless passenger get regular ticket within five minute of entering station'
• SMS alert service to be introduced on train arrival/departure; CCTVs to be introduced in select trains and suburban trains for women safety
• More general class coaches to be added in identified trains; more AC EMU services for Mumbai suburban section
• Open wi-fi to be available at 400 railway stations; proposal to revamp the station re-development scheme
• Projects worth Rs 96,182 crore to expand capacity of 9,420 km rail lines
• Tickets can now be booked 120 days ahead of travel date, instead of 60 days now, to tackle tout menace
• Four dedicated freight corridors to be completed this year; 6608 kms of track to be electrified
• Wagon-making scheme to be reviewed to make it easier for private investment; Speed on nine corridors to be increased from 110-130 to 160-200 kms per hour
• Feasibility report of high speed train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad expected by mid-2015
• Preparing 5-year corporate safety plan to be ready in 3 months to identify annual quantifiable targets
• Rs 6,750 crore allocated for eliminating 3438 level crossings; 970 road-underbridge and road-overbridge to be constructed
• Plan size raised by 52 per cent to Rs 111,000 crore
• Regulatory mechanism to be set up for deciding on tariff and disputes: Project worth Rs 2,500 crore using BOT annunity route to be launched