Title - Rail Budget 2013: Thumbs up to no hike in rail fares

ALLAHABAD: There has been mixed reactions among the denizens regarding the Union Railway Budget which was presented in the Parliament on Tuesday. While people have appreciated no hike in the railway fares but they were critical of the indirect hike in the railway fares including increase in reservation charge,superfast charges, cancellation charges and Tatkal charges. Women have welcomed the decision of recruitment women RPF personnel in the railways for providing security to the women passengers.Amit Saraswat, a frequent train traveller said " Though the Union Railway Minsiter has hiked the railway fares during January but even in this budget he has hiked the railway fares by increasing the superfast charge and cancellation charge. The cancellation charge of about Rs.40 per passenger in the sleeper class and Rs.50 per passenger in AC-III class will be burden on the common man."Ashok Jain, resident of Muthiganj said " The hike in reservation charge will make a hole in the pocket of common man who is already grappling with the high passenger fares. Even Tatkal fares have not been spared and it has been hiked. Railways should take steps for enhancing cleanliness at stations and in trains.Women of the city though have welcomed the decision for increasing the recruitment of RPF women personnel. Pratibha Jaiswal, resident of Chowk said " Safety of women in the trains is a matter of concern in the train. The decision of Pawan Bansal for increasing RPF women staff in the train is appreciable. However, young students are excited over the providing of HI-FI facilities in some of the trains. Rashid Ahmad, a young student said that provision of free Wi-Fi facilities in the trains is appreciable as we will be connected with the modern gadgets even in the trains.

Avinash Tripathi welcomed the decision of Pilot project on select trains to facilitate passengers to contact on board staff through SMS/phone call/e-mail for coach cleanliness.

However, Congressmen have welcomed the Union railway Budget presented by Railway Minister Pawan Bansal. UPCC member Kishore Varshney said " The decision for not hiking the passenger fares and taking numerous steps for the passenger amenities is welcome step.He also said that opening of wheel factory in Rae Bareli, overhauling of coaches in Pratpgarh, Neer mineral water plant in Lalitpur, laying of Padrauna-Kushinagar and opening of lounge at Agra station would help in accelerating the pace of development of Uttar Pradesh.

Congress spokesperson Javed Urfi said that railway Minister has taken various steps for passenger amenities including arrangements of cleanliness, House keeping Yojna, 179 escalators at the stations would definitely help the passengers.

Meanwhile, traders of the city burned the effigy of Union railway Minister Pawan Bansal for hiking the freight charges. State president of Vyapari Ekta Samiti Vijay Gupta said that hike in freight charges would lead to price rise of all the essential commodities. They demanded rollback of hike in freight charges.

Highlights of Railway Budget

The Railway Budget presented by Union Railway Minister Pawan Bansal has put thrust on safety, consolidation, Passenger Amenities and fiscal Discipline.

Indian Railways has entered the one billion tonne Select Club joining Chinese, Russian and US Railways. It has also joined Select Club running freight trains of more than 10000 tonne.

It has laid a target of Rs 1000 crore each fixed for Rail Land Development Authority and IR Station Development Corporation to be raised through PPP in 2013-14.

Many new factories/workshops will be set up including a new Forged Wheel Factory at Rae Bareli in collaboration with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, a Greenfield Mainline Electrical Multiple Units (MEMU) manufacturing facility at Bhilwara (Rajasthan) in collaboration with State Government and BHEL, a Coach Manufacturing Unit in Sonepat District (Haryana) in collaboration with State Government, a Midlife Rehabilitation Workshop at Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) in collaboration with the State Government. Further, Bikaner and Pratapgarh workshops to undertake POH of BG wagons, a workshop for repair and rehabilitation of motorized bogies at Misrod (Madhya Pradesh), new wagon maintenance workshop in Kalahandi (Odisha) and a modern signaling equipment facility at Chandigarh through PPP route.Setting up of Railway Energy Management Company (REMC) to harness potential of solar and wind energySetting up of 75 MW capacity windmill plants and energizing 1000 level crossings with solar powerDeployment of new generation energy efficient electric locomotives and EMUs

More usage of agro-based and recycled paper and ban use of plastic in catering

Identification of 104 important stations for immediate attention to all aspects related to cleanliness

Progressive extension of bio-toilets on trains

Provision of concrete aprons on platforms with mechanised cleaning of facilities