By IANS
New Delhi : Following are the highlights of the Railway Budget 2008-09, presented in the Lok Sabha Tuesday by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad:
Arrival time to be printed on tickets
Wait-listed e-tickets to be introduced
Tickets to be confirmed through mobile phones
50 percent concession for AIDS patients in AC II-tier
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
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
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
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