CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS
RAILWAY BUDGET 2016
1. Highlights
- Overnight double-decker trains to be introduced on business travel routes.
- 1,600 km of electrification, this year and 2,000 km proposed for the next year.
- Broad Gauge Lumding-Silchar section in Assam, connecting Barak Valley with rest of country.
- North-East India, especially Mizoram and Manipur, to be connected through broad gauge soon.
- Special purpose vehicle for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speed corridor registered this month.
- No hike in passenger fares.
- Action has been initiated on 139 budget announcements made last year.
- Eliminate all unmanned level crossings by 2020.
- Swacch Bharat: 17000 bio-toilets and additional toilets in 475 stations
- Increased quota for senior citizens and women travelers this year.
- Wifi at 100 stations this year and 400 stations next year.
- Enhanced capacity of e-ticketing system from 2,000 tickets/min to 7,200/min. Supporting 1.2 lakh
- concurrent users now, as opposed to 40,000 earlier.
- All major stations to be brought under CCTV surveillance in a phased manner.
- Deen Dayal coaches for long distance trains for unreserved passengers. These coaches will include
- potable water and higher number of mobile charging points.
- IRCTC to manage catering service in phased manner. Local cuisine of choice will be made available to
- passengers.
- Cleaning of toilets by requests through SMS.
- Children's menu, baby foods, baby boards to be made available for travelling mothers.
- GPS-based digital display in coaches for showing upcoming stations.
- Will open cancellation facility through 139 helpline number.
- Introduce bar-coded tickets on pilot basis to tackle menace of ticketless travel.
2. Budget Theme:
Reorganize, Restructure Rejuvenate Indian Railways: 'Chalo, Milkar Kuch Naya Karen'
Three pillars of the strategy:
Nav Arjan - New revenues,
Nav Manak - New norms,
Nav Sanrachna - New Structures.
3. Financial Performance 2016-17
Targeted Operating Ratio (OR) - 92%, restrict growth of Ordinary Working Expenses by 11.6% after
building in immediate impact of 7th PC, reductions planned in diesel and electricity consumption,
Revenue generation targeted at Rs 1,84,820 crore.
4. Investments and Resources
Process bottlenecks overhauled including delegation of powers to functional levels; average capital
expenditure over 2009-14 is Rs. 48,100 crore, average growth of 8% per annum.
By 2020, long-felt desires of the common man to be fulfilled i.e, reserved accommodation on trains
available on demand, time tabled freight trains, high end technology to improve safety record,
elimination of all unmanned level crossings, improved punctuality, higher average speed of freight
trains, semi high speed trains running along the golden quadrilateral, zero direct discharge of human
6. Port connectivity
Tuna Port commissioned and rail connectivity projects to ports of Jaigarh, Dighi, Rewas and Paradip
under implementation; implementation of rail connectivity for the ports of Nargol and Hazira under
PPP in 2016-17.
7. North East
BG Lumding-Silchar section in Assam opened thus connecting Barak Valley with rest of the country;
Agartala brought on to the BG network. States of Mizoram and Manipur shortly to come on BG map
of the count with commissioning of the Kathakal-Bhairabi and Arunachal-Jiribam Gauge Conversion
projects.
8. Jammu and Kashmir
Work on Katra-Banihal section of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project progressing
satisfactorily- 35 kms of tunnelling out of total of 95 kms completed; Decongestion work on Jalandhar- Jammu line in full swing and doubling of two bridges to be commissioned by March 2016, while the other two bridges will be completed by 2016-17
9. Make in India
Finalized bids for two loco factories; proposed to increase the current procurement of train sets by
10. Partnerships:
Cabinet approval for JVs with State Governments, 17 consented and 6 MOUs signed with State
Governments. 44 new partnership works covering about 5,300 kms and valuing about Rs. 92,714 crore have been indicated in the Budget documents
11. Social initiatives: One-time registration for availing concessions while booking tickets online, online booking of wheelchairs & Braille enabled new coaches introduced for the Divyang, increased quota of lower berths for senior citizens and women, middle bays reserved in coaches for women.
12. Wi-Fi provided in 100 stations, to be provided in 400 more.
13. Stations being redeveloped - financial bid received for Habibganj, Bhopal; Cabinet approval for
stations to be taken up under PPP.
14. Security through the help lines & CCTVs.
15. Safety: 350 manned level crossings closed, eliminated 1,000 unmanned level crossings, 820
ROB/RUB completed in the current year and work going on in 1,350 of them
16. Rail University: Initially identified the National Academy of Indian Railways at Vadodara.
17. For the unreserved passenger:
Antyodaya Express: Unreserved, superfast service.
Deen Dayalu coaches: Unreserved coaches with potable water and higher number of mobile
charging points.
18. For the reserved passenger:
Humsafar: Fully air-conditioned third AC service with an optional service for meals
Tejas: Will showcase the future of train travel in India. Will operate at speeds of 130 kmph and
above.Will offer onboard services such as entertainment, local cuisine, WiFi, etc. through one
service provider for ensuring accountability and improved customer satisfaction
Humsafar and Tejas: to ensure cost recovery through tariff and non-tariff measures
UDAY: Overnight double-decker, Utkrisht Double-Decker Air-conditioned Yatri Express
Sale of tickets through hand held terminals; e-ticketing facility to foreign debit/credit cards; bar
19. Ticketing:
coded tickets, scanners and access control on a pilot basis. Expansion of Vikalp - train on demand to
provide choice of accommodation in specific trains to wait listed passengers. E-booking of tickets
facility on the concessional passes available to journalists; facility of cancellation through the 139
helpline post verification using 'One Time Password' sent on registered phone number, to improve
tatkaal services CCTV cameras on windows and periodic audit of PRS website.
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Courtesy: The Hindu, The Economic Times.
