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Sharec) Increase in Frequency
1 2685/2686 Chennai- Mangalore from 3 days to daily
2 2423/2424 New Delhi- Guwahati Rajdhani Express from 5 days to 6 days
3 2443/2444 New Delhi- Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express from 2 days to 4 days
4 7091/7092 Secunderabad -Patna from 2 days to daily
5 2739/2740 Secunderabad - Vishakapatnam Express from 4 days to daily
6 2111/2112 Amravati-Mumbai Express from 3 days to daily
7 2957/2958 Ahmedabad - New Delhi Rajdhani Express from 6 days to daily
8 2149/2150 Pune - Patna Express from 4 days to daily
9 2487/2488 Jogbani- Delhi Express from 5 days to daily
10 2823/2824 Nizammudin-Durg Chhatisgarh Sampark Kranti from 2 days
to 3 days
11 2985/2986 Sealdah- Jaipur Express from 2 days to daily
12 2905/2906 Porbander - Howrah (via Hapa) from 2 days to 3 days
13 4207/4208 Delhi - Pratapgarh Padmavat Express from 3 days to daily
International Co-operation
70. Both India and Bangladesh, on account of their shared history, have the advantage of vast and strategically linked rail network. Apart from interchange of freight trains, a passenger train called Maitree Express is also running between Kolkata and Dhaka since April 2008. In view of demand of passengers it has been agreed between two countries to reduce travel time and change the days of running. India and Bangladesh are also in the process of enhancing cooperation in the railway sector including development of railway infrastructure in Bangladesh.
Annual Plan 2009-10
71. Madam, the annual plan outlays of the Railways are a harbinger of economic stimulus for the country, the crying need of the hour. Reviewing the interim budget projection of Rs 37,905 cr for the Annual Plan 2009-10, within a few days of my taking charge, I was surprised to find that there was a provision of Rs 3400 cr for resource mobilization through PPP, of which Rs 3300 cr would just not materialize. This would imply a straight reduction in the Annual Plan to a level below the actual expenditure in 2008-09. I also learnt that the Railways had received less than their proportionate share of Gross Budgetary Support (GBS), as per the XI plan provisions. I immediately took up the matter with the Finance Minister and am happy to say that we received an increase of Rs 5000 cr as budgetary support, over and above the Rs 10,800 cr committed in the interim budget. This has enabled the Railways to step up the plan allocation to Rs 40,745 cr even after non inclusion of the provision of Rs 3300 cr for PPP on account of projects like station modernization, new locomotive plants as joint venture etc.
72. I am happy to inform the house that against all challenges and odds, the Railways will be able to deploy internal resources at Rs 15,675 cr. Market borrowing has been stepped up to Rs 9170 cr to support the higher requirement of rolling stock. The house will also be happy to know that Finance Ministry has approved issue of tax free bonds by IRFC, for the first time, after a gap of several years.
73. I would like to share with the House a few important highlights of the plan allocations. In support of the numerous demands I receive from my colleagues in the Parliament and States, I have increased the allocation for New Lines from Rs 1100 cr in the interim budget to Rs 2921 cr. The provision for Gauge Conversion is Rs 1750 cr, an increase of 24% over the interim budget. In view of the pressure on internal resources, all Gauge Conversion, Doubling and Railway Electrification works have been transferred to Capital.
74. The interim budget provision for Passenger Amenities was only Rs 502 cr, after excluding the provision for Public Private Partnership. I am extremely happy to inform that the outlay has now been increased to Rs 1102 cr, excluding PPP, which is an increase of 119%.
75. Madam, Railway men and women toil round the clock, facing a multitude of adversities to serve this nation and run nearly 17,800 trains every day. We need to address their basic needs. I am increasing the allocation for Staff Quarters to Rs 335 cr, an increase of 49% on the interim budget. Allocation for Staff Amenities is being increased to Rs 424 cr an increase of 79% on the interim budget.
76. Additional Funds to the tune of Rs 1949 cr have been sought from Ministry of Finance for National Projects of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla, Jiribam-Imphal Road, Dimapur-Kohima, Azra-Byrnihat, Kumarghat-Agartala, Bhairabi-Sairong, Agartala - Sabrum and Sivok - Rangpo new lines, Bogibeel Rail-cum Road Bridge, Lumding-Silchar-Jiribam and Rangia-Murkongselek gauge conversion.
Urban Transport Services
77. Thane-Turbhe-Nerul-Vashi: With the completion of Turbhe-Nerul section (4.80 km), Thane-Turbhe-Nerul-Vashi project stands completed, facilitating running of direct trains between Thane and Nerul.
78. Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) Phase-II: MUTP Phase-II sanctioned in the Budget 2008-09 at a cost of Rs.5300 crore is under implementation. Pre-feasibility study for Mumbai Elevated Rail Corridor (Churchgate -Virar) to supplement the densely loaded and intensively utilized existing suburban system for Mumbai, is in progress.
79. The Rail based suburban services i.e. Metro Railway, Circular Railway and EMU services are the life line of the cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. Even after augmenting the capacity of the existing EMU trains by way of additional coaches and introduction of additional services, the rail based suburban system will not be able to meet the demand of the ever increasing population and do not provide rail based transport from origin to destination to the commuters. There is a perceived need to provide an energy efficient rail based system as a feeder route connectivity to the existing Metro/Circular Railway/EMU suburban system in these cities. Therefore, I am happy to announce a feasibility study for introduction of energy efficient rail based system for providing connectivity to existing suburban system in the most efficient economic way in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.
