Railway Budget 2014-15: Highlights

Here are the main Highlights of Railway Budget 2014-15 presented by Union Railway minister Sadananda Gowda in Lok Sabha today(08 July 2014) at 12.00Hrs.

* Rail budget seeks course correction, avoids populism

* No increase in rail fare

* Stress on resource mobilization through PSU surplus, FDI and PPP

* Bullet train on Ahmedabad-Mumbai corridor proposed, Speed of trains to be increased in nine sectors

* More thrust on passenger amenities, cleanliness & efficient station management

* Multi pronged approach for improving safety & security, 4000 women RPF constables to be recruited

* Revamping railway reservation system into next generation e-ticketing, Wi-fi services in major stations & in select trains, mobile based wakeup calls for passengers

* 58 new trains introduced; 11 existing trains extended

* Railway university and innovation incubation centre to be set up

* Top priority to transparency, e-procurement to be made

* Compulsory in higher purchase, online registration for wagons in next two months

* Highest ever plan outlay of ­ 65,445 crore with higher allocation for safety measures