Highlights of the Rail Budget 2013-14 as presented by railway minister P. K. 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
