Highlights of Union railway budget 2013-14

Highlights of the railway budget presented in the Lok Sabha Tuesday by Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Highlights of the railway budget 2013-14 presented in the Lok Sabha Tuesday by Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal:

* No hike in passenger fares

* Superfast and Tatkal charges to rise

* Annual plan for 2013-14 set at Rs.63,363 crore

* Losses up from Rs.22,500 crore in 2011-12 to Rs.24,600 crore in 2012-13

* Accidents per million km down from .41 to .13

* Raised four companies of women RPF personnel; another eight to be raised for women's safety

* 67 new Express and 26 new passenger trains to run; 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services to be introduced; run of 57 trains to be extended; frequency of 24 trains to increase

* 22 new rail lines to be taken up in 2013-14

* New debt service fund to be set up

* Will close fiscal 2012-13 with fund balance against previous deficit; need to build fund balance to Rs.30,000 crore by end of 12th Plan

* Operating ratio of 88.8 percent achieved

* Dividend reduced from 5 to 4 percent

* Electrification of 1,200 km to be completed this year

* 72 additional suburban services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata

* Rs.6,600 crore increase in earnings from fare adjustment in January

* Rs.63,000 crore investment in 2013-14

* 1,047 million tonnes freight loading estimated during 2013-14

* Passenger earnings of Rs.42,000 crore estimated in 2013-14

* Indian Railways Institute of Financial Management to be set up at Secunderabad

* Chair at Delhi to promote research in reducing carbon footprint

* Winners of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Dhyan Chand awards to get free first class passes

* Complementary first class passes for parents of unmarried posthumous awardees of Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra

* Complementary passes of freedom fighters to be renewed every three years instead of annually

* New forged wheel factory at Rae Bareli in collaboration with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd

* Greenfield Mainline Electrical Multiple Units (MEMU) manufacturing facility at Bhilwara along with Rajasthan government and BHEL

* Coach making unit at Sonepat in collaboration with Haryana government

* Midlife rehabilitation workshop at Kurnool along with Andhra Pradesh government.

* Railway energy management company to be set up to harness solar and wind energy

* 1,000 crossings to be energised by solar power

* 1.51 lakh vacancies to be filled up

* Locomotive cabs to be air-conditioned

* Azadi Express for travel to places associated with freedom struggle

* India in 1 billion tonne freight club

* By end of 2013-14, 1,500 km of contracts to be awarded for two dedicated rail corridors

* Rs.1 lakh crore target set for public-private-partnership route

* Free Wi-Fi to be provided on some trains

* Rs.100 crore for improving stations in New Delhi

* 179 escalators and 400 lifts at A 1 and other select stations

* E-ticketing through mobile phones

* SMS alerts for passengers on reservation status

* Next generation e-ticketing system by end of 2013

* Seventeen bridges identified for repair

* Smoke and fire detection system envisaged

* Fire extinguishers to be kept in guard vans

* Making corporate Safety Plan for a 10 year period (2014-24)

* Introduction of Train Protection Warning System on Automatic Signalling Systems

* Rigorous trials of indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System

* Introduction of 160/200 kmph Self Propelled Accident Relief Trains

* Elimination of 10,797 level crossings during the 12th Plan and no addition of such crossings

* Six more Rail Neer bottling plants to be set up.