New Delhi (IANS): Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee began presenting her ministry's budget for the current fiscal shortly after noon Friday with the promise of addressing the concerns of average passengers.
"People all over the country have high expectations from the railway budget," Banerjee told the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, switching between English and Hindi.
She started with a question if Indian Railways, which runs the world's second largest railroad network under single management, should function purely on the basis of economic viability or address the social commitment.
"Time has come when our economic and social philosophers have to change their old mindset of economic viability and replace it with social viability and upliftment," she said.
Ms. Banerjee said her focus would be on better passenger amenities, good food at affordable prices, clean toilets at stations and trains.
"Fifty stations will be developed into world class facilities," she said naming those at Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Varanasi Guwahati, Chennai, Mangalore, Porbundar and Kochi, among others.
This is her first rail budget for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and third in her political career.
PTI report adds:
Ms. Banerjee says an expert committee will be set up to advise her on implementation of the so-called economically unviable but socially desired projects.
She also stated that the priorities will include better passenger amenities, safety and security and provision of good quality food and drinking water.
The Railway Ministry has plans to develop important stations through private-public partnership. These include CST Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Howrah, Sealdah, Varanasi, New Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kanpur, Chennai Central, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Secunderabad, Bangalore City, Byappanahalli, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Habibganj, Agra Central, Chandigarh, Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, Puri and Kochi.
The Railways are to develop multi-functional complexes with shopping malls, food stalls, medicines and variety stores in different parts of the country.
The Infotainment services to be provided in major long-distance trains, Ms. Banerjee said.
Ms. Banerjee said that SMS updates on wait-listed tickets are to be introduced.
The Auto-vending machines will be installed in large and medium stations, she said.
The high-capacity air-conditioned double-decker trains to be introduced on select inter-city routes, Ms. Banerjee said.
She also stated that unreserved ticketing terminals to be expanded from 5000 to 8000. Automatic ticket vending machines to be increased.
Ms. Banerjee, in her speech, said arrangement with Department of Posts for issuance of tickets.
An Integrated Security System is being developed for 130 vulnerable stations to provide security to passengers, she said.
She stated in her speech that seven nursing colleges to be set up on railway land in places including Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. Railway medical colleges to be developed along with rail hospitals on public-private partnership.
Ms. Banerjee said that better representation to be given to minorities, women and the economically backward in railway recruitment. Special recruitment drive to be launched to fill vacancies in physically-handicapped category.
18,000 wagons to be acquired during the current year, she said.
The Railway Minister added that the Railways making efforts with Department of Heavy Industries for takeover of ailing wagon manufacturing units like Burn Standards.
Ms. Banerjee added that a new policy is to be launched for construction and operation of private freight terminals.
The Railways are to develop cold storages for farmers to store vegetables and fruits, she said. The Railway Minister added to say that superfast parcel express trains to be started on a pilot basis between Delhi and Chennai and Delhi and Mumbai.
The freight loading target for 2009-10 set at 882 million tonnes, an increase of 39 million tonnes, Ms. Banerjee said.
She said that photo-ID cards cum credit cards to be given to accredited journalists. Travel concession has been increased from 30 to 50 per cent for them.
During peak hours, ladies' specials to be introduced in suburban trains.
She also stated that twelve non-stop point-to-point trains between select cities are to be introduced. The sections include -- Howrah-Mumbai, Delhi-Lucknow, Delhi-Chennai, Delhi-Pune, Delhi-Allahabad, Howrah-Delhi, Sealdah-Delhi and Ernakulum-Delhi.
