Home Economy Railway Budget Hightlights – 3

Railway Budget Hightlights – 3

* Operational ration of 88.5 percent targetted

* Defence travel system developed to eliminate system warrants

* SMS alerts to be introduced

* Paperless ticketing system to be developed

* New department to keep stations clean

* Waste to energy conversion plants to be created

* Toilets at stations need improvement; 650 additional toilets to be created in addition to 120 last year

* Investment of Rs.8.5 lakh crore in next five years

* Over 20,00 suggestions received on improving facilities

* Four goals: Deliver sustained improvement in customer facilities, Make railways safer means of travel, expand substantially, make Indian Railways self-sustainable

* Budget part of trilogy: White paper already tabled, this budget, vision document soon

* Railways backbone of national connectivity

* Will partner with private sector to improve last mile connectivity

* Railways unique integrator of modern India

* Facilities not improved substantially over past few decades

* Vicious cycle of under-investment must end

* 1,219 sections on network – most of them overworked

* In next five years, intention to substantially augment capacity