Railway Budget 2015-2016 – Highlights in simple terms

Railway Budget 2015-16-HighlightsRailway Budget 2015-2016 – Highlights in simple terms


Suresh Prabhu, the Railway Minister has announced the Railway Budget for 2015-16 yesterday. There are multiple initiatives announced in this railway budget, which includes booking tickets 120 days in advance, providing cleaner trains, Wifi, etc., I am providing Railway Budget 2015-16 highlights in simple terms.

 

Railway Budget 2015-2016 – Highlights in simple terms


1) No passenger Fair hike – Biggest relief for common man.

2) Book tickets 120 days in advance now. Earlier one can book tickets only 60 days in advance. With this, one can plan their ahead of time.

3) 24×7 helpline number 138 to attend regular passenger complaints and 182 toll free number for security related complaints.

4) Improve and integrate best food chains in the country to cater food in Trains. Earlier in Jan-15, Railways introduced e-catering in 108 trains where one can book food through IRCTC during ticket booking.

5) Increase in mobile charging facilities in general coaches and sleeper coaches.

6) Improving railway stations by providing Wi-Fi at all A1/A/B category stations. Till now 1052 stations identified and 200 are yet to be identified in these categories. Also lifts and escalators have been planned at all major stations for easy movement of elderly and differently-abled passengers

7) Aiming for Clean trains and neat stations. Railways are proposing to create a new department for keeping stations and trains neat and clean. This separate division would take up this as specialized activity and drive it.

8) Run faster trains. Railways want to increase average speed between 110 / 130 kmph to 160 / 200 kmph.

9) SMS Alerts about arrival and departure timings. This would help passengers to know in advance about the arrival and departure timings of the trains. It would be sent 30 minutes in advance.

10) Surveillance cameras to be provided. For the safety of  woman passengers, surveillance cameras will be provided on a pilot basis is selected mainline coaches and ladies compartments without compromising on privacy.

11) More number of berths will be made available through an increase number of coaches based on demand. These would be adjusted from lower occupancy level trains.

12) Introduce On-board entertainment. Railways would experiment from Delhi Railways division to introduce onboard entertainment in selected Shatabdi Express trains on a license fee basis. Based on success, it would be extended to other Shatabdi express trains across the country.

13) Railways to introduce Train Sets to have superior travel experience and save time. These train sets are similar to the bullet trains without an engine to haul them. These would provide the best travel experience as well as save energy.

14) Senior citizens will be able to book wheelchairs online

15) Proposed a hike in freight rates for 12 commodities in the range of 0.8% to 10%.

Also Read: Best stocks to buy before union budget 2015-16 as per Credit Suisse

What the experts are saying about Railway Budget 2015-2016?


SV Sukumar, Partner for strategy and operations, KPMG says

"The rail budget has not addressed the main concern of logistics cost for India Inc and that will continue to remain high. Unfortunately, this is not going to help the make in India campaign,".

Domestic ratings agency, India Ratings said,

cement manufacturers will be hit the most by the hike in freight charges for ferrying cement (2.7 percent), coal (6.7 percent) and slag (2.7 percent).

ICRA’s Jayanta Roy said

the freight rate increase of coal would lead to higher cost of the fuel for steel companies.

If you like this article, please share this on your Facebook or Twitter. This would be a special gift which you would be giving to our blog.

Suresh
Railway Budget 2015-2016 – Highlights

Suresh KP

5 comments

  1. Hi Suresh, following up on my query earlier, which I believe was not yet posted on your blog.
    My query was…could you please advise, as to when the 120 days advance train booking comes into effect with? For eg, if I need to book a train ticket say for a travel on May 29, 2015, when would the window open? I would appreciate your feedback. Thanks

  2. Hi Suresh, would you please advise, as to when the 120 days advance train booking comes into effect with?
    For eg, if I need to book a train ticket say for a travel on May 29, 2015, when would the window open?? I would appreciate your feedback on this. Thanks

  3. Seems like a good budget from aam aadmi point of view. We should focus more on service improvement and clean railway. Then only people will love to travel more on rail.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *