Seventy Three New Trains Introduced - Highlights of Interim Railway budget 2014-15

Friends,

The Interim Railway Budget 2014-15 has been presented in the Parliament by the Minister of Railways Shri Mallikarjun Kharge. As expected, the budget was passenger friendly as the success of e-booking of tickets has surpassed all expectations, and now train movements can also be tracked online to find the exact location and running. Railways Minister said given the promising trend of loading, the target has been scaled up to about 1052 million tonnes from the budget target of 1047 million tonnes and freight earnings targets revised to Rs 94,000 crore. He announced that an independent Rail Tariff Authority is being set-up to advise the Government on fixing of fares and freight. Moreover 73 (Seventy three) new trains are being introduced which includes 17 Premium trains, 39 Express trains, 10 Passenger trains, 4 MEMU and 3 DEMU in this year’s Interim Railway Budget. Three trains will be extended and frequency of same number of trains will be increased.

Premium Trains:

1. Howrah – Pune AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Nagpur, Manmad
2. Kamakhya – New Delhi AC Express (Weekly) via Chhapra, Varanasi
3. Kamakhya – Chennai AC Express (Weekly) via Malda, Howrah
4. Mumbai – Howrah AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Nagpur, Raipur
5. Mumbai – Patna AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Khandwa, Itarsi, Manikpur
6. Nizamuddin – Madgaon AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Kota, Vasai Road
7. Sealdah –Jodhpur AC Express (Bi-weekly) via Mughalsarai
8. Yesvantpur - Jaipur AC Express (Weekly) via Gulbarga, Pune, Vasai Road
9. Ahmedabad – Delhi Sarai Rohilla Express (Tri-weekly) via Palanpur, Ajmer, Rewari
10. Bandra – Amritsar Express (Weekly) Via Kota, New Delhi, Ambala
11. Bandra (T) – Katra Express (Weekly) via Kota, New Delhi, Ambala
12. Gorakhpur – New Delhi Express (Bi-weekly) via Lucknow, Moradabad
13. Katra – Howrah Express (Weekly) Express via Mughalsarai, Varanasi, Saharanpur
14. Mumbai – Gorakhpur Express ( Bi-weekly) via Khandwa, Jhansi, Kanpur
15. Patna– Bangalore Express (Weekly) via Mughalsarai, Chheoki, Manikpur, Nagpur
16. Yesvantpur – Katra Express (Weekly) via Gulbarga, Kacheguda, Nagpur, New Delhi
17. Thiruvananthpuram – Bangalore (Yesvantpur) Express (Bi- weekly) via Erode, Tirupattur

Express Trains :

1. Ahmedabad – Katra Express (Weekly) via Palanpur, Jaipur, Rewari, Hisar, Bathinda, Amritsar
2. Ahmedabad – Lucknow Jn Express (Weekly) via Palanpur, Jaipur, Bandikui, Mathura, Kasganj
3. Ahmedabad – Allahabad Express (Weekly) via Jalgaon, Khandwa, Itarsi, Satna, Manikpur
4. Amritsar – Gorakhpur Express (Weekly) via Saharanpur, Moradabad, Sitapur Cantt.
5. Aurangabad – Renigunta Express (Weekly) via Parbhani, Bidar, Vikarabad
6. Bangalore – Chennai Express (Daily) via Bangarpet, Jolarpettai
7. Bandra (T) – Lucknow Jn Express (Weekly) via Kota, Mathura, Kasganj
8. Bareilly – Bhopal Express (Weekly) via Chandausi, Aligarh, Tundla, Agra
9. Bhavnagar – Bandra Express (Weekly) via Ahmedabad
10. Bhavnagar- Delhi Sarai Rohilla Link Express (Weekly)
11. Gandhidham – Puri Express (Weekly)
12. Gorakhpur – Pune Express (Weekly) via Lucknow, Kanpur, Bina, Manmad
13. Guntur-Kacheguda Double Decker Express (Bi-weekly);
14. Howrah – Yeswantpur AC Express (Weekly)via Bhubaneswar, Gudur, Katpadi
15. Hubli – Mumbai Express (weekly) via Bijapur, Sholapur
16. Hyderabad – Gulbarga Intercity (Daily)
17. Jaipur – Chandigarh Intercity (Daily) via Jhajjar;
18. Kacheguda – Tirupati Double Decker Express (Bi Weekly);
19. Kota – Jammu Tawi Express (Weekly) via New Delhi, Ambala
20. Kanpur – Bandra (T) Express (Weekly) via Kasganj, Mathura, Kota
21. Lucknow – Kathgodam Express (Tri-weekly)
22. Manduadih – Jabalpur Express (Weekly) via Allahabad, Manikpur, Satna
23. Malda Town – Anand Vihar Express (Weekly) via Amethi & Rae Bareli;
24. Mannargudi – Jodhpur Express (Weekly) via, Jaipur
25. Mumbai – Chennai Express (Weekly) via Pune, Gulbarga, Wadi
26. Mumbai – Gorakhpur Express (Weekly) via Gonda, Balrampur, Barhani (after gauge conversion);
27. Mumbai – Karmali AC Express (Weekly) via Roha
28. Nanded – Aurangabad Express (Weekly) via Purna, Parbhani
29. Nagpur – Rewa Express (Weekly) via Satna
30. Nagercoil – Kacheguda Express (Weekly) via Karur, Namakkal, Salem
31. Pune – Lucknow Express (Weekly) via Khandwa, Bhopal, Bina, Jhansi, Kanpur
32. Ramnagar – Chandigarh Express (Weekly) via Moradabad, Saharanpur
33. Ranchi – New Jalpaiguri Express (Weekly) via Jhajha, Katihar
34. Secunderabad – Visakhapatnam AC Express (Weekly) via Kazipeth, Vijaywada
35. Santragachi – Anandvihar Express (Weekly)
36. Srigangnagar – Jammu Tawi Express (Weekly) via Abohar, Bathinda, Dhuri
37. Thiruvananathapuram-Nizamuddin Express (Bi-weekly) one day via Kottayam and one day via Allepey
38. Varanasi – Mysore Express (Bi-weekly) via Wadi, Daund
39. Balurghat – Howrah (Bi-Weekly)

Passenger trains :

1. Bina – Katni Passenger (Daily)
2. Dekargaon – Naharlagun Passenger (Daily) after completion of new line
3. Gunupur - Visakhapatnam Passenger (Daily)
4. Hubli - Belgaum Fast Passenger (Daily)
5. Jaipur – Phulera Passenger (Daily)
6. Mannargudi – Mayiladuthurai Passenger (Daily)
7. Punalur – Kanniyakumari Passenger (Daily) via Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram
8. Sambalpur – Bhawanipatna Passenger (Daily)
9. Tatanagar – Chakulia Passenger (Daily)
10. Tiruchendur – Tirunelveli Passenger (Daily)

MEMU Trains :

1. Anand – Dakor (Daily 2 services)
2. Anuppur-Ambikapur (6 days a week)
3. Delhi – Rohtak Passenger (Daily 2 services)
4. Santragachi – Jhargram (5 days a week)

DEMU Trains :

1. Morbi – Maliya Miyana
2. Ratlam – Fatehabad Chandrawati Ganj (Daily) after gauge conversion
3. Rewari – Rohtak (Daily)

Extension of Trains : 

• 14705/14706     Delhi Sarai Rohilla – Sujangarh Express to Jodhpur
• 15281/15282     Patna – Saharsa Express to Murliganj
• 15013/15014     Kathgodam – Bhagat Ki Kothi Ranikhet Express to Jaisalmer

Increase in Frequency:

•  16571/16572 Bidar – Yesvantpur Express 3 days to daily
•  17225/17226 Hubli – Vijayawada Express from 3 days to daily
•  17319/17320 Hubli – Secunderabad Express from 3 days to daily

Expansion of Railway Network in 2013-14

During the year 2013-14 the Railways have completed 1,532 km of New Line, Doubling and Gauge Conversion against a revised target of 1,525 km.  Sections commissioned in 2013-14 include:

New Lines

• Karur – Salem (85 Km)
• Koderma – Nawadih (34 Km)
• Lalitpur – Tikamgarh (51.5 Km)
• New Morinda to Sanewal (54 Km) thereby complete commissioning of Chandigarh – Ludhiana
• Qazigund – Banihal (19 Km)
• Kadur – Chikmaglur (46 Km)

Gauge Conversion:

• Hanumangarh – Sriganganagar (64Km)
• Manamadurai – Virudunagar (67 Km)
• Darum  Madhepura – Murliganj (22 Km)
• Kolar – Chickballapur (85 Km)
• Rangiya – Rangapara North – Dekargaon (145 Km)

Doubling:

• Panskura – Shyamchak (27 km) 3rd Line
• Muri – Tulin (1.5 km) Doubling 2nd Bridge over River Subernarekha
• Jirat – Ambika Kalna (20.23 km)
• Magrahat – Diamond Harbour (15 km)
• Kursela-Karagola (17 km)
• Katereah-Kosi cabin (4km)
• Madur – Mandya (19 km)
• Birur – Ajjampur (18km)

Highlights of Interim Railway budget 2014-15 

• No Increase in Passenger Fares and Freight 
• Outlay of Rs 64,305 Crore Proposed for Rail Budget with A Budgetary Support of Rs 30,223 Crore
• 17 New Premium Trains, 38 Express Trains and 10 Passenger Trains Proposed
• Surveys For 19 New Lines and Doubling of 5 Tracks to be Taken Up
• Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh to be on Railway Map
• No Unmanned Level Crossing Left with the Elimination of 5,400 Unmanned Crossings
• To Prevent Fire Incidents Portable Fire-Extinguishers in Coaches and Induction Based Cooking Introduced in Pantry Cars
• Feasibility Study for High Speed Trains in Mumbai-Ahmedabad Corridor and Semi High Speed Projects to Taken Up on Select Routes
• More Bio-Toilets in Trains and Green Curtains Along the Track Close to Major Stations
• Independent Rail Tariff Authority Set-Up to Advice on Fares and Freight
• Loading Target Raised to 1,052 Million Tonne and Freight Earnings Target Revised to Rs 94,000 Crore

No increase in rail fare and freight has been proposed in the Interim Rail Budget for 2014-15. Presenting the Budget in Parliament today, the Minister of Railways Shri Mallikarjun Kharge announced 72 new trains, extension of three trains and increase in frequency of three trains. The Minister announced that there will be no more unmanned crossings. A Rail Tariff Authority has also been announced. A number of measures for safety and security of passengers like portable fire-extinguishers in coaches and induction based cooking in pantry car have been proposed in the Budget.

The Budget presented today envisages investment of Rs. 64,305 crore as against Revised Estimates for 2013-14 of Rs. 59,359 crore. Anticipating a healthier growth of economy, the freight traffic target is proposed at 1,101 million tonnes, an increment of 49.7 million tonnes over the current years’ revised target of about 1052 million tonnes. The Gross Traffic Receipts have been projected at Rs. 1,60,775 crore . Working Expenses have been proposed at Rs. 1,10,649 crore, which is Rs. 13,589 crore higher than the Revised Estimates for the current year.

Highlighting the passenger friendly initiatives of Indian Railways, the Minister said the success of e-booking of tickets has surpassed all expectations, and now train movements can also be tracked online to find the exact location and running. Besides, 51 Jan-Ahaar outlets for sale of Janta Meals have been set up; 48 passenger escalators have been commissioned at railway stations and 61 more are being installed and air-conditioned EMU services will commence in Mumbai area by July 2014. 

Railways Minister announced that Itanagar, capital of Arunanchal Pradesh will soon be on rail map in this financial year, as Harmuti-Naharlagun line is expected to be commissioned shortly. The state of Meghalaya is also all set to come on the Railway map in this financial year, as Dudhnoi – Mehendipathar line is getting completed by March 2014.

Briefing about Railways efforts for moderation of its network Sh. Kharge said a joint Feasibility Study for Mumbai-Ahmadabad High Speed corridor, started in December 2013, will be completed in 18 months. Besides the High Speed project, Indian Railways also intend to explore low cost options for raising speeds to 160-200 kmph on existing select routes like Delhi-Agra and Delhi-Chandigarh.

The Minister said that Investment in Railways is being stepped up by partnership with the private sector. PPP projects related to rolling stock manufacturing units, modernization of railway stations, multi-functional complexes, logistics parks, private freight terminal, freight train operations, liberalized wagon investment schemes and Dedicated Freight Corridors are in the pipeline. Apart from attracting private investments from domestic investors in rail sector, a proposal is under consideration of the Government to enable Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to foster creation of world class rail infrastructure.

Reiterating Railways’ commitment or safety and security of passengers the Minister said several measures have been and are being taken for its further strengthening. Manning or elimination of all unmanned level crossings has been taken up and planning for induction of indigenous developed Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and provision of Vigilance Control Device (VCD) in all electric and diesel locomotives is being introduced. He said that a Comprehensive Fire and Smoke Detection System is on trial on two rakes of Rajdhani Express trains. This will be extended to all major passenger trains. Provision of portable fire extinguishers in AC coaches, Guard-cum-luggage break vans, pantry cars and locomotives. Introduction of electrical induction based cooking appliances in replacement of LPG in pantries is being taken up.

With a view to improving aesthetic ambiance along the track close to the approach of major stations, the Railways Minister announced creation of ‘Green Curtains’ at Agra and Jaipur stations on pilot basis. He said that bio-toilets have been introduced in about 2,500 coaches. It is proposed to increase the coverage progressively.