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sob

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There is no stopping the IR from running faster trains, all the coaches and locos being manufactured currently are rated for top speeds of 180 KM/h.

The main problem is the lack of railwaylines. For high speed trains you need dedicated lines which are isolated from the local population. We cannot have a high speed network having 10s of local crossings. Plus the most important point is that IR will have to seperate Freight to a dedicated rail line. Due to the higher load capacities and stiffer design the freight carriages do quite a bit of damage to the rail lines. One only has to travel in SE Railways in West Bengal/Orissa to assess the condition of the tracks.

Today as some other members have pointed out what we need is to improve the cleaniness of the trains, the punctuality of the trains, improvement in the railway stations, more tracks. High speed trains like the Bullet or TGV can have very good potential between say Chennai-Bangalore, Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Delhi-Ludhiana, Delhi-Chandigarh.
 

tarunraju

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Indeed. Here's an example of the high-speed capable LHB rake being hauled by a WAP-5 locomotive:



The WAP-5 can reach 225 km/h on its own, just that we still need coaches that can handle 225 km/h.
 

nitesh

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One more thing needs to be added is adequate number of 260m rails right now we are manufacturing 30 m rails (I might be inaccurate here) hence there is a joint every 30 m hence the overall speeds slows even though coaches and engines are capable of achieving high speeds but 260m rail production has started and it started replacing the older system so once these things are in place in substantial number then we can see average speed increase
 

sandeepdg

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As the locomotives are capable of speeds of above 200 km+/hour, I wish the speed of trains like Rajdhani and Shatabdi be increased to around 180-200 km/hr. These experiments should obviously start from short distance routes like the routes that Shatabdi express serves and gradually move on to the longer routes as served by the Rajdhani express.Of course the rails do need to be updated before this happens. Also, I had read a news article quite some time back stating that a special train was tested on a trial run at a constant speed of 180 km/hr on the Delhi - Agra route and it was successful.
 

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Developing the western corridor

The project to build a Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) got the much-needed push, with the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between the Japanese and Indian institutions. The DMIC Development Corporation and the Japanese JETRO are to promote 24 eco-cities or smart communities along the corridor, while the Japan Bank for International Cooperation has offered a $75 million loan facility to help establish a Project Development Fund to kick-start the project. The DMIC project comprises a host of sub-projects for infrastructure development — for instance industrial estates, power plants, and logistics parks — which are to come up on either side of the proposed 1,483 km Delhi-Mumbai railway freight corridor. The foundation stone for the rail corridor was laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh way back in October 2006. This Rs.22,000 crore project is expected to change the face of the western corridor, with the DMIC developing the entire hinterland. The Gujarat government has embarked on a vigorous drive to attract foreign investment for the project and it can be expected to gain momentum as a result of the recent visit of Japanese Prime Minister Yokio Hatoyama. In addition to harnessing Japanese investments and interests, the States along the western corridor will also be tapping foreign and domestic investments for the overall development of the region. The western rail freight corridor will link the Jawaharlal Nehru port and other ports in Gujarat to the industrial belts in the western, central, and northern regions extending up to New Delhi. A separate dedicated corridor to the east has also been planned by the Indian Railways, and the work on it was launched in February. The dedicated corridor is meant to focus exclusively on carrying freight, and the project, conceived in 2004-05, envisages 2,700 km of new freight lines and about 5,000 km of feeder lines.

The western corridor will connect Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Palanpur, Jaipur, Rewari, Tughlakabad, and Dadri. It is now for the Government of India, and all the agencies involved in the massive project — including the Railways, the State governments, and even the Planning Commission — to work in close coordination and ensure that it does not suffer undue delays and the consequent cost over-runs. Japan wants to showcase the DMIC as a model not just for India, but the whole world. To begin with, the Indian agencies need to expedite the basic work on the feasibility report, environmental clearances, land acquisition, and preparation of a blueprint for the whole project. The prospective investors will need a definite time frame and a detailed plan to finalise their investment plans.
 

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Metro stations in Gurgaon to have parking space - Delhi - City - The Times of India

Metro stations in Gurgaon to have parking space
IANS, 17 January 2010, 08:23pm IST

NEW DELHI: The five Metro stations in Gurgaon, likely to open by March, will have parking facilities, officials said on Sunday.

"The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will provide parking facilities at all the five Metro stations in Gurgaon," a senior DMRC official said.

Of the five, the largest parking space of 6,500 square metres will be at the HUDA City Centre station.

Parking lots will also be available at IFFCO Chowk, M.G. Road, Sikanderpur and Guru Dronacharya Metro stations of the Delhi Metro's under-construction Central Secretariat-Gurgaon corridor.

"At present, 59 of the 83 operational Metro stations have parking lots for the convenience of commuters. The total parking lots in the Delhi Metro will go up to 64 after the Gurgaon section is opened for the public," the official added.

An official also told IANS that while the Gurgaon section of the corridor will be opened to public by March, the remaining section of the corridor will be operational by May.

Trial runs on the seven-km-long elevated Gurgaon section will begin Jan 29.

With the new parking spaces in Gurgaon stations, the total parking space provided by the DMRC will be nearly 170,000 square metres in which approximately 15,000 four-wheelers and 20,000 two-wheelers can be accommodated.

The 12.53-km Central Secretariat-Qutub Minar section of the stretch is underground while the 14.47-km Qutub Minar-Gurgaon section is an elevated section. This metro line connects north and central Delhi to south Delhi and Gurgaon in Haryana.
 

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Luxury on the rails: India’s Orient Express

Luxury on the rails: India’s Orient Express​

The Maharajah hotel train serves up luxury – but also pitches you into the daily reality of Indian life, from Mumbai to Delhi

I had never been to India. Old hands told me not to read it up. “Just let it hit you in the face.”

When I said that I was there for only a week, they rolled their eyes; and indeed a vague unease afflicted me at the idea of flying in to Mumbai, taking the new “Maharajah” hotel train to Delhi with sightseeing stops, and flying home eight days later.

We 1960s relics fear that the authentic way to see India is with a backpack and $5 a day, chewing betel and warding off dysentery in a crowded third-class carriage, with goats. Which explains why I never went: fear of heat, a billion people, extreme poverty and crazy wealth, colonial guilt.

So a hundred contradictory images swirled around my head on the aircraft: memsahibs and the Mahatma, RikkiTikki-Tavi and Mother Teresa, suttee and sanctity. Could anyone get a grip on this continent-sized country in a week of being met with a sandalwood garland, and welcomed on to an ornate train by a smiling butler?

By then, however, the train felt like a refuge. Indian cities hit you in the face: every roadside alive with tents, shacks, cows; every kerb witnessing the “toiling ryot” — families cobbling, smithing, mending, recycling, quilting, making cow dung into fuel, selling, sleeping; dignified women in bright clothes carrying bricks or ******s on their heads, wives with babies side-saddle on the back of mopeds (one was breast-feeding as her husband swerved onward, an older child perched in front).

And everywhere advertisements for education: “England Academy . . . St Convent Genuine English School”. Energy and intricacy, poverty and hope.

The Maharajah hotel train’s Deccan Odyssey is something new. India’s vast railway has always had sleepers, but this trip is an Orient Express for the subcontinent, initially between Mumbai and Delhi, later with a second train in the east. It represents no small logistical challenge: they must make space for a long train on a tight timetable, meet coaches and guides, and somehow dispose of it while passengers spend days sightseeing. There was a great deal of rapid Hindi talked into mobile phones all the launch week.

Yet the Maharajah met its deadlines, from the moment we pulled out of Mumbai, staring aghast at a packed commuter train alongside with three men sitting insouciantly on the roof.

We gazed, and ate a sweet light curry served with smiling elegance by lads in Maharashtra state costume, their gold-threaded red hats a curious echo of Renaissance Europe. By 6am we were in the sticks, at the tiny, dusty station of Daulatabad. Outside, four men lugged a set of redcarpeted steps to get us down over the rails.

Garlands were flung around our necks, and from behind a shed appeared a troupe of young dancers, led by a kohled and sinuous master with a face of timeless mischief. They danced. How they danced. They made Canadian Susie dance with them, while the rest of us shuffled shyly back.

The high green Deccan plateau spread around us. Cotton fields, maize, bullock carts, goats, figures in the landscape. Men and women ploughed or carted or walked bright-hued through a countryside alive with a human intensity lost to agribiz Europe. On the bus, passionate commentary came from Mr Singh, the local guide, and Vichal from the train, spilling over with anecdotes and jokes.

Our first goals were the least visited of World Heritage Sites, two sets of cave temples. At Ellora, 1,500 years ago, the Chalyuka excavated a corner of the Charnadari Hills: a monolithic rock, several acres in extent, is carved into ravines and temples and lifesize elephants, with narrative friezes as lively as the Bayeux tapestry. It began with austere Buddhist caves, then Hindu beauties and grotesques.

We drove on to still more extraordinary Buddhist caves at Ajanta. These will not remain open to visitors for many more years — the bright colours are too fragile for massed breath — so replicas are being made. But for a while yet you may marvel at a story told in ochre and lampblack and flashes of blue lapiz.

Back on the train at Jalgaon we slept, rattling under a crescent moon through long, blank spaces of tropical night. From the breakfast table we saw a new landscape: Rajasthan, not desert here but fertile fields, and Udaipur with its mines, lakes and ancient citadel. At the station more garlands, two blinged-up camels and two of the famously odd Rajasthan ponies with their long, curly Vulcan ears.

Our guide led us around the palace; we stood by the rooftop marble pool, where until the 1930s maharanis bathed in scented water, and wondered at the stylised art. The cave paintings at Ajanta are Renaissance in their naturalism, yet these 17th to 18th-century ones are flat, like icons.

Morning found us in another rural backwater, Sawai Madophur, picking our way through thronging passengers and scavenging pigs. The aim was to see tigers in the wild. We knew we probably wouldn’t: as Vishal cheerfully pointed out, tigers prefer to hide, “but they’ll see you”.

We resigned ourselves to merely providing entertainment for them, and admired antelope, sambhur and egrets as we jolted down the track. But abruptly a deer cried a warning, and the guide hissed: “Tiger! Kill! Silence!”

Hardly anybody gets to see a kill. But, in the shade of a tree 20ft away, a tigress had her teeth in a young spotted deer. For a long time we watched. Unconcerned by the cameras, she finished the job and bore the carcass away. Then in the afternoon, after roaming among the chaotic bazaar by the station and admiring camel carts weaving through the traffic laden with old fridges and woodpiles, we went back. Within an hour — incredibly — we were watching a splendid male tiger slouching to the lake and swimming leisurely across it, scattering kingfishers.

It took us a while to come down from this high. But on sped the train, and by the following day we were in the “golden triangle” of Indian tourism, our last three destinations necessary clichés: Jaipur, Agra, Delhi. We climbed to the Amber Fort and were duly bedazzled by mosaic and marble and Mogul Indo-Persianism fusing Hindu elephants, Buddhist lotus and Islamic crescents. We clocked a scientific wonder of the world, the giant sundial of Jai Singh II, and as dark fell crossed the bazaars where a hundred trades — some as old as time — carried on.

Our train home waited; we sped on, saw Agra Fort and the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri and, yes, the Taj Mahal. I was prepared for the dazzling whiteness and jewelled flowers, but I had not expected the vigorous thrumming life: the children testing the echo, the young marrieds from all India, stretching their hands towards the tomb, the kites wheeling over the turrets and the river sweeping by.

Enough. There are better accounts of the visual wonders of India. But why do it by hotel train? Not just for the ease and comfort of having every detail and outing planned and pre-paid; not simply because there is no other way to see 1,200 miles of India in a week, with the long distances covered while you sleep and eat in a rolling home.

It is not even just because it is comparatively eco-friendly, using less space, fuel, and water; nor that passengers and staff form a congenial little community, as on a ship. It is not even the theatrical welcomes and farewells that make it, though there was a moment at Delhi on the last day when I casually said that we had been through 2,000 years of history, from caves to Moguls to the Gandhi memorial, without catching many echoes of the British Raj. Whereon, turning the corner, we found a military pipe band waiting for us on the platform, playing Scotland the Brave. Full of surprises, India.

But the central reason that this journey shines is that in such a railway country, a train pitches you into daily reality. A station is not a secured hotel forecourt or tourist zone; it is the natural heart of a place. On the platforms all classes saunter, work, wait, chatter and in some cases sit around bivouac fires by night.

People throng, getting on with their lives, decorating tractors or piling mangoes. Moving on, you see farms and homes in slow motion as the train hoots its warnings to ox carts and bright strolling figures. Cossetted though you are, you feel part of things, and resolve to learn more of this extraordinary country. By night, the rattle and hoot of fellow trains fills the spicy air: you share the warm bright breath of India.

NEED TO KNOW

Getting there Great Rail Journeys (01904 521936, greatrail.com) offers ten days’ full board on the Indian Maharaja throughout 2010 (except May-Sept) from £2,895, including flights and transfers.

Recommended reading A Passage to India, by E. M. Forster; Culture Shock! India by Gitanjali Kolanad; White Mughals by William Dalrymple.

Luxury on the rails: India’s Orient Express -Times Online
 

Pintu

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http://www.business-standard.com/in...sk-force-to-fastrack-pvt-investments/86726/on

Railways to set up task force to fastrack pvt investments
Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 24, 2010, 18:48 IST

Admitting that private players face problems while investing in railway projects, the government today said it would set up a task force to clear such proposals within 100 days.

"Sometimes they (business community) have problems. They are keen to invest, but their proposals are unduly delayed by a 'typical negative approach'," Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee said while presenting Railways Budget.

Banerjee said the Railways need to develop a business culture to attract private investment and the matter would be discuss at the highest level.

"I will discuss with the Prime Minister, the Finance Ministry and Planning Commission regarding early clearance of projects," she said.

The Minister announced "a special task force to clear proposals for investments within 100 days".

She further said there is a need to develop new business models and invite domestic investment through public-private- partnership mode in areas like new lines, world class stations, auto hubs and high speed train corridors.

Banerjee said domestic investors have tremendous scope in Railways and that "will be our hope in the future".

She, however clarified: "I would like to assure my Railway family that we are not going for privatisation of the Railways. It will remain a government organisation."
 

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http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/railways-to-invest-rs-41426-cr-in-2010-11/18/49/86705/on

Railways to invest Rs 41,426 cr in 2010-11
Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 24, 2010, 16:39 IST

The Indian Railways will invest Rs 41,426 crore in 2010-11 for sprucing up its network, and over a third of the planned outlay would go towards manufacturing coaches.

In the Railway Budget presented in Parliament today, Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee earmarked Rs 13,140 crore for rolling stock, but the money for coach making is lesser than last year's allocation of Rs 13,352.49 crore.

Overall investments are nearly 3 per cent higher than last year's outlay.

The world's fifth-largest rail network, after US, Russia, Canada and China, will also invest Rs 4,361.90 crore in the next fiscal for construction of new lines, marking an increase of 30.58 per cent from 2009-10.

It will also pump in Rs 5,000 crore on track renewals in the upcoming fiscal, an increase of Rs 707 crore from 2009-10.

However, spending on gauge conversion in the coming fiscal has been cut down drastically to Rs 1,635 crore from Rs 3,156.22 crore in the ongoing fiscal. Doubling of rail lines has also been allocated lesser funds at Rs 1,833.9 crore from Rs 2,015.67 crore.

In its endeavour to cut down mishaps, the minister earmarked Rs 1,124.20 crore for signal and telecommunication works, up from Rs 1,003.58 crore in the ongoing fiscal. Besides, Rs 1,000 crore will be spent on road safety works.

Banerjee, who announced setting up of a Centre for Railway Research at IIT, Kharagpur, however, set aside just Rs 78 crore for research. But it is an improvement from Rs 41.19 crore in 2009-10.
 

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http://www.business-standard.com/in...asures-proposed-in-rail-budget/17/56/86698/on

Various safety measures proposed in Rail Budget
Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 24, 2010, 16:18 IST

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today proposed to raise 12 companies of women RPF personnel within the next five years to ensure security of women passengers.

Banerjee, presenting the Rail Budget, also proposed to convert all unmanned level crossings in the country into manned ones within the same period and to introduce automatic fire and smoke detection system in 20 long-distance trains.

The companies of RPF women personnel will be named as 'Mahila Vahini', she said.

Laying stress on public-private participation, the Railway Minister said six clean drinking water bottling plants will be set up through PPP mode for providing cheap bottled drinking water and 94 stations will be upgraded as 'Adarsh stations' with enhanced passenger amenities.

The Minister also proposed to construct 93 multi-functional complexes and multi-level parking lots through PPP mode.

For the benefit of passengers, she announced short message service (SMS) providing updates of reservation status and train timings to passengers as well as updates on movement of wagons to freight customers.

She also announced introduction of mobile e-ticketing centres at hospitals, universities, courts, IITs, IIMs, district headquarters and village panchayats.
 

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http://www.business-standard.com/in...l-gps-systemdiesel-locomotives/16/19/86692/on

Rly to install GPS system on diesel locomotives
Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 24, 2010, 15:51 IST

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today proposed to install a GPS-based optimised driver guidance system on diesel locomotives to save fuel consumption.

Installation of such system can save upto ten per cent fuel, she said while presenting the Rail Budget in Lok Sabha.

Banerjee also proposed to introduce at least ten rakes with environment-friendly green toilets which would avoid pollution and stop rails getting rusted.

Under this system, the solid and liquid parts of human waste will be separated. While the solid part will be collected in a container, the liquid part will be recycled.

Banerjee said the Railways will work closely with the Prime Minister's National Action Plan on Climate Change and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.

Besides, steps have been taken to set up ten eco-parks to conserve and promote railways' wetlands and forest areas. One of such parks has been inaugurated at Naopara, she informed.

The Railways have initiated steps to distribute 2.6 million CFLs in staff quarters and railway premises.
 

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http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/india-inc-pleasedrail-budget/15/57/86687/on

India Inc pleased with Rail Budget
Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 24, 2010, 15:29 IST

India Inc today welcomed the Railway Budget for sparing freight and passenger fares from any hike and said that it also provided opportunities for private sector to participate in the world's fifth largest transport network.

"I think it provides for much bigger involvement of the private sector...It is welcome," Ficci President Harsh Pati Singhania said.

Assocham described it as "people and industry friendly" since there is no increase in passenger and freight rates.

Presenting the Railway Budget for 2010-11, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee asked business houses to build partnerships with Railways that employs about 14 lakh people.

A special task force will be set up for early clearance of projects, Banerjee said, adding that Railways will start six water bottling plants in places like Ambala, Farakka, Nasik, Thiruvananthapuram and Amethi to provide clean and cheap drinking water to passengers.

Railways would also develop 10 automobile hubs, she said.

CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said: "It is our belief that this would give the right signals to investors in India and abroad to look at Indian Railways in a new light."

However, Assocham President Swati Piramal said: "A clear roadmap for seeking private partnership in railways for it's modernisation and expansion should have been rolled out."

Federation of Indian Mineral Industry Secretary General R K Sharma too termed the budget as "positive".
 

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http://www.business-standard.com/in...or-cwg-spl-train-to-mark-event/17/55/86685/on

Railways to be lead partner for CWG, spl train to mark event
Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 24, 2010, 15:25 IST

Railways will run a special exhibition train across the country to mark the Commonwealth Games to be held here apart from being the lead partner of the mega sporting event.

"Indian Railways will be the lead partner of the Commonwealth Games being hosted by India this year. To mark this event and also to spread the message, Railways proposes to start a Commonwealth Exhibition train," Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said presenting the Rail Budget.

The Commonwealth Games will be held in the capital from October 3 to 14.

She also said five sports academies would be set up across the country to strengthen the infrastructure. The proposed locations are Delhi, Secunderabad, Chennai and Mumbai.

To promote hockey, Bannerjee said it is also proposed to provide astro-turfs.

The Railways will also provide increased employment opportunities for sports persons.
 

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Highlight of the Railway Budget : Report : Business Standard, link and report quoted below:

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/highlightsrailway-budget-2010/15/27/86644/on

HIGHLIGHTS OF RAILWAY BUDGET 2010
BS Reporter / Mumbai February 24, 2010, 13:59 IST

NO HIKE IN PASSENGER FARES

Cancer patients travel free in AC3

Concession to film industry and press. Children upto 18 yrs travel free

To launch 10 more duronto trains

Aims at electrification of 1,000 km route in FY11

Special train named ' Bharat Tirth' to connect Himachal to Kanya Kumari. (all over the country).

Janmabhoomi train: connected areas in western sectors, linking Jodhpur, Lalgarh, etc. To run every week

Karmabhoomi: sleeper trains introduced for the unorganised sector

Introduction of ladies special trains in the name of Matribhumi

Work under Mumbai suburban area under MUTP phase 1 to be completed this year, and under phase 2 to be completed by March 2014

Kolkata Metro to be extended inside the city, 5 stations to be renamed.

Funding for METRO RAIL projects up 5%

FY11 operating ratio pegged at 93.2%

Impact of 6th Pay Commission at Rs 55,000 cr

Will link western corridor development deal with Japanese firm in March

Cost sharing projects bagged from Andhra Pradesh Government

Propose to run a special train from West Bengal to Bangladesh

Importance given to north East states in this Budget.

FY11 Gross Traffic Receipts seen at Rs 94,700 crore

To acquire 80,000 new wagons

FY11 working spend seen at Rs 87,100 crore

To beat FY10 freight target by 8 million tonnes

To start door-to-door service for freight movement

To launch tourist trains on 16 routes

To introduce 54 new trains in FY11

Will launch double-decker trains on pilot basis

Allocation for implementing 1,000 km news lines in a year almost doubles to Rs 4,411 crore. Passenger amenities Rs 1,200 cr

Appropriation for pension fund at Rs 14,500 cr

Budget estimates for 2010-11 : Special efforts for deficit to be cleared

Expenditure of 783 cr after meeing the dividend liability

Budget estimates: Target for freight set at 944 million tonnes (up 54 million metric tonnes)

Non core business earning seen at Rs 1,000 cr

Cuts freight on foodgrains, kerosene by Rs 100 / wagon

Training insitution for railways for the south and south east Asian countries

Dedicated passenger corridor (Golden Rail corridor) project to be set up

Propose to start execution of Sonpur Dankuni section this year through PPP mode

Plan to create railway eco park

plans propose to introduce a GPS based driver guidance service

22.6 million free CFL lights already distributed

Premium tatkal service for parcel and freight movement

Autmobile and ancillary hubs in 10 different locatins on PPP mode

5 wagon industry in JV-PPP mode, in Secundrabad, Andhra Pradesh, Guwahati, Orissa and Haldia

Wagon repair shop in Mumbai

Agrees to set up railway coach factory in Singur if land is available; Intergral coach factory in Chennai

Rae Bareli coach factory, the work will begin within a year. Also in Bengal, Kerala, Bihar.

To modernise the CLW from its present 200 locomotives to 275

Railway will establish strong research partnership with institutes like IIT, CSIR etc

Corporate Social Responsibilty thorugh expansion of Rashtriya Swastha Yojana

Railways has 80,000 women employees. creches and hostels to be set up for children of women employees

MoU with health and HRD Ministry; 101 secondary hospitals, and multi functional hospitals with AIIMS and Vellore to be set up

Staff Welfare: 'House for all' scheme for railways employees

NO INCREASE IN FREIGHT TARIFF.

Railways to be the lead partner in Common Wealth Games 2010. Also to introduce special train for the games.

To provide increased employment opportunity in railways through sports quota

To promote sports, wil build five sports complexes in Delhi, Secundabad, Chennai Kolkata and Mumbai.

To strengthen the RPF security force; Mahila bahini - for security of women to be introduced

Will construct underpasses at railway stations to counter problem of lack of usage of foot overbridges.

3,000 level crossings to be mended this year, rest to be done in within next 5 years.

Core projects of TPWS for implementing safety and preventing accidents

Twin strategy for safety and security.

To expand the scope of 'mushkil ashan' e-ticket mobile vans.

Introducing modern trolleys at all imp stations to assist senior citizens, physically handicapped and children

Six bottling plants on PPP basis to provide clean water at cheaper rates to passengers

Upgradation of 94 stations. Propose to take up another 93 multi functional stations.

Examination fee to be exempted for minority, and women, with income less than Rs 50,000 in a year

Increased financial power of field officers at the local level.

117 trains will be flagged off

Target: To implement 1,000 route km in one year , 25,000 km in Vision 2020

However, will set up business model -- need of the hour is to invite domestic investments through PPPs.

No privatisaton of railways, says is proud of 14 LAKH employees.

To set up a special task force to clear proposals for investments within 100 days

Only 10,419 km of railways added between 1958 and now.

Vision 2020 goals broken up in to short, medium and long term projects. The latter two will require funds and can be done in 5 years.

Mission is continuous development and goal is to unite the country through railway connectivity

Budget made keeping in mind the economic viability of the projects as well as social responsibility.

Mamata Banerjee presents Railway Budget 2010.
 
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http://www.business-standard.com/in...eme-proposed-tofreight-traffic/17/58/86712/on

New wagon scheme proposed to up freight traffic
Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 24, 2010, 16:57 IST

As part its efforts to get more freight from highways and address shortage of wagons, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today proposed to introduce a modified wagon investment scheme for high-capacity general and special purpose wagons.

Presenting the Railway Budget today, she said the detailed scheme in this regard will be notified later.

Roads currently handle 30 per cent of the freight traffic in the country.

Banerjee also said a policy to permit private operators to invest in infrastructure, on the lines of container train operators, would be made and run special trains for commodities such as automobiles, vegetable oil and petro-chemicals among others.

Taking further the concept of mega-logistics hub announced in her last budget speech, she said Railways have decided to set up automobile and ancillary hubs at 10 locations in the country.

The first of such hubs was launched in Shalimar close to Kolkata last year.

She also said in order to provide "multi-modal door-to- door service" to freight customers, one rake of road-cum-rail vehicle will be introduced on a trial basis.

Further, a premium tatkal service for parcel and freight movement is under consideration of railways, she said.

Railways will also examine the need for special wagons for iron ore, fly ash, automobiles etc, she added.
 

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http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/railways-set-annual-targetlaying-1000-km-tracks/86736/on

Railways set annual target of laying 1000 km tracks
Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 24, 2010, 20:20 IST

Inviting private sector for the development of railway infrastructure, the Indian Railways today said the ambitious target of laying 1000 km of track per year would be financed through its internal resources.

Briefing reporters at the post-Rail Budget press conference, Railway Board Chairman S S Khurana said private participation was welcomed in laying of new lines for iron ore, coal projects.

"We can build business model" for such ventures, he said, adding the railway attracted a total of Rs 4,462 crore through private participation last year.

He was replying to a question on how Railway propose to meet the target of 1000 km when it is only able to lay 180 to 200 km of railway track annually.

Exuding confidence about laying 1000 km per year, he said it would be possible as "the Railway act relating to land acquisition has been empowered in 2008 and has come to us... as acquiring land delayed the project work for us."

"There has been substantial increase in outlay from Rs 2,848 crore to Rs 4,411 crore for laying of the 1000 km track," he said.

Khurana said the Railways would also identify investments through PPP model for the high speed passenger corridor project and would not seek budgetary support for the purpose.

Khurana said Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have shown keen interest in sharing the cost for extension of rail infrastructure.

Asked whether the catering service would be taken over by the Railway Board which is at present being handled by IRCTC, Railway Board Member (Traffic) Vivek Sahai said: "A new catering policy would be unveiled soon."

When asked how funds would be raised by the Railways for the proposed Kendriya Vidyalayas and modern degree colleges, Khurana said the Railways was collaborating in these projects along with Human Resource Development and Health Ministries.

"It is not Railways investment totally," he said, adding the Railways were also bound to take care of its employees welfare.

Asked about the impact on railway revenues with the reduction of freight rates of foodgrains and fertilisers by Rs 100 per wagon, he said: "The freight traffic was growing at the rate of seven per cent per annum. So, it was considered not necessary to increase...It could be a few crores."
 

Pintu

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...s-film-industry-in-WB/articleshow/5612705.cms

Mamata announces concession for cancer patients, film industry in WB
24 Feb 2010, 2026 hrs IST, ET Bureau

KOLKATA: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee offered a lifeline to cancer patients and technicians of the regional film industry by offering both
categories of travellers special concessions in the Railway Budget.

Cancer patients going for treatment or periodic check-ups, either alone or with an escort, will now enjoy 100 per cent concession in third AC and sleeper class compared to 75 per cent earlier. However, such concession in second AC or first AC will remain unchanged at 50 per cent.

On the film front, the Budget announced that technicians of the regional film industry, when travelling for film production-related work, will be eligible for 75 per cent concession in second sleeper and 50 per cent in higher classes in all trains.

While medicos felt the new concession will help control cancer and mortality, film makers said the move to support the regional film technicians may indeed help the industry improve prospects.

Cancer specialists, in particular, applauded the move saying it will be a big relief for cancer patients who have to spend a fortune in treatment. Estimates suggest nearly 10 lakh new cancer patients are diagnosed every year in India, with around 5.5 lakh deaths annually due to the disease.

"Nearly half of the cancer patients come from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, North-east, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand, where local cancer treatment is still not well developed. Such patients have to travel either to the South, Delhi or Mumbai. The budget announcement will be a big boon for them," said renowned cancer specialist Suresh Advani, who is also the chief oncologist at Mumbai's Jaslok Hospital.

Doctors said cancer patients need to follow up for their treatment at periodic intervals, especially in the first five years when the risks of recurrence is high.

"The fact remains that at present there are not more than 20 specialised cancer centres in India. It is seen that patients do not regularly come for periodic follow-up due to travel costs, which increases morbidity," said Umanath K. Nayak, head and neck cancer surgeon at Apollo Cancer Hospital in Hyderabad.

Renowned regional film-maker Gautam Ghosh claimed this was an "extremely worthwhile" move.

"We have discussed this concession element at technicians' meets several times and finally also sent in a proposal on this score to the railway minister. I'm very happy that Mamata Banerjee has come up with this sop. The Bengali film industry, or any others for that matter, will benefit from this concession. At least 70-80 crew members, on an average, travel on the train when a movie is being shot. The producers will benefit from this," said Mr Ghosh.

However, leading Tollywood exhibitor and distributor Arijit Dutta felt it would be more advantageous if the technicians and their families were handed this concession when they journey on their own and not just when a movie is under production.
 

anoop_mig25

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hey guys what u think of rail budget i think i was awfull . nothing but goodies for westbengal (brothers form wb sourry but true) . all goodies ?can anybody from where the hell money is going to generated .instead of introducing reforms minster is miliching it . i can understand about hospitals but water botteling plants,musems in wb purely stupidity.i think ex railway minister mr laluprasd was better as he was good manager i mean whan i think of as a manager he was good but as a common people his ideas made buying confirmed tickets almost impossible
 

F-14

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Rlys to take a hit on service tax








Our Bureau

New Delhi, Feb. 26

The Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee has imposed a 3 per cent service tax on all freight movement on the railways.

With the Railways anticipating Rs 62,489-crore revenue from freight movement in 2010-11, the Government is likely to mop up Rs 1,874.67 crore through this levy.

Mr Mukherjee had attempted to do this in the budget of July 2009. He had then provided an abatement of 70 per cent in August. Then, in September, he had reversed the decision.

“The exemption of service tax on ‘service provided in relation to transport of goods by rail' is being withdrawn. The levy will come into effect from April 1, 2010,” explained the Finance Bill, 2010.

However, freight rates for goods movement by rail will become dearer only if the Railways decide to pass it on. When contacted, a top Indian Railways official said that the Railways may not be in a position to pass it on.

The Railway Ministry's position on the issue has been that Railways is an arm of the Government. “The Government does not impose service tax on any other Ministry and Railways cannot be singled out,” an official source said.


A former Finance Minister has also said that the Government does not tax itself.

Meanwhile, with the oil marketing companies announcing a hike in the price of diesel by Rs 2.55 a litre, the Railways will have to take a hit on account of higher fuel bill. The additional amount that the Railways will have to shell out on account of this hike is about Rs 596.7 crore annually.

With an annual consumption of 2.35 billion litres, the Indian Railways is the single largest buyer of high speed diesel.

The Indian Railways' will have to take an additional hit of almost Rs 2,500 crore next financial year on account of the service tax and diesel price hike. This will affect the Railways finances and largely wipe out the Rs 3,173 crore excess it has budgeted for 2010-11 — unless the Railways hikes the fares.

Meanwhile, with the oil marketing companies announcing a hike in the price of diesel by Rs 2.55 a litre, the Railways will have to take a hit on account of higher fuel bill. The additional amount that the Railways will have to shell out on account of this hike is about Rs 596.7 crore annually.

With an annual consumption of 2.35 billion litres, the Indian Railways is the single largest buyer of high speed diesel.

The Indian Railways' will have to take an additional hit of almost Rs 2,500 crore next financial year on account of the service tax and diesel price hike. This will affect the Railways finances and largely wipe out the Rs 3,173 crore excess it has budgeted for 2010-11 — unless the Railways hikes the fares.

A former Finance Minister has also said that the Government does not tax itself.

Meanwhile, with the oil marketing companies announcing a hike in the price of diesel by Rs 2.55 a litre, the Railways will have to take a hit on account of higher fuel bill. The additional amount that the Railways will have to shell out on account of this hike is about Rs 596.7 crore annually.

With an annual consumption of 2.35 billion litres, the Indian Railways is the single largest buyer of high speed diesel.

The Indian Railways' will have to take an additional hit of almost Rs 2,500 crore next financial year on account of the service tax and diesel price hike. This will affect the Railways finances and largely wipe out the Rs 3,173 crore excess it has budgeted for 2010-11 — unless the Railways hikes the fares.

Meanwhile, with the oil marketing companies announcing a hike in the price of diesel by Rs 2.55 a litre, the Railways will have to take a hit on account of higher fuel bill. The additional amount that the Railways will have to shell out on account of this hike is about Rs 596.7 crore annually.

With an annual consumption of 2.35 billion litres, the Indian Railways is the single largest buyer of high speed diesel.

The Indian Railways' will have to take an additional hit of almost Rs 2,500 crore next financial year on account of the service tax and diesel price hike. This will affect the Railways finances and largely wipe out the Rs 3,173 crore excess it has budgeted for 2010-11 — unless the Railways hikes the fares.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/02/27/stories/2010022752290900.htm
 

Pintu

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-to-create-50000-jobs/articleshow/5631150.cms

Hyderabad Metro Rail to create 50,000 jobs
IANS, Mar 1, 2010, 09.24pm IST

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Metro Rail is expected to trigger mammoth economic activity in and around the city and provide employment to about 50,000 people, Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosaiah said on Monday.

The chief minister, who reviewed the Rs 12,132-crore project at a meeting here, said it would provide employment for about 5,000 engineers and about 45,000 skilled and unskilled workers.

He also hoped that with a requirement of about 26 lakh tonnes of cement, two lakh tonnes of steel and 58 lakh cubic metres of concrete, the project will help set up many ancillary industries and machinery manufacturing and servicing units around Hyderabad. This would give fillip to developmental activities in various parts of Telangana, he added.

The Telangana region, which comprises 10 districts including Hyderabad, is currently witnessing movement for separate statehood.

Noting that Hyderabad Metro Rail project is back on track, he asked the officials to speed up the process to finalise works with a firm deadline.

All eight companies/consortia that filed pre-qualification bids have qualified to participate in financial bids which will be finalised in April.

The new concessionaire is expected to be in place by May.

The ground work for the project will be launched in November and most of the sections will be thrown open for public travel in four years, while the whole project is expected to be completed in five years.

The companies/consortia qualified to participate in financial bids are: Transstroy-OJSC Transstroy (Russia)-CR18G (China)-BEML consortium; Reliance Infra-Reliance Infocomm consortium (ADAG); Lanco Infra-OHL Concesiones (Spain) consortium; Essar-Leighton (Australia)-Gayatri-VNR consortium; GMR Infra; GVK-Samsung (South Korea) consortium; Soma-Strabag AG (Austria) consortium and Larsen & Toubro.
 

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