Title - Railways to upgrade e-booking of tickets-Railways-Transportation-News By Industry-News-The Economic

NEW DELHI: Government said over one lakh vacancies in Railways will be filled up during this fiscal, including the safety related posts, and the e-booking site will be upgraded to enable one million ticket sale per day.

Railway Minister Mukul Roy said while 75,000 candidates have been recruited following the streamlining of the examination process, "1.44 lakh candidates are proposed to be recruited during 2012-13. This will also include the safety related posts".

He said this in Rajya Sabha while winding up discussion on the Railway Appropriation Bill, which was later returned to Lok Sabha.

Promising that safety will be provided the definite thrust and "railway is duty-bound towards this end", he said all unmanned railway level crossings will be done away with in the next 10 years with road over-bridges and under-bridges.

In this context, the minister said the number of unmanned level crossings have come down from 20,786 in 1995 to 13,471 as of today while manned level crossings have increased from 15,435 to 18,305 during the said period.

Noting that renewed thrust will be put on PPP initiatives and a focused approach on utilisation of vacant land and air space, he said their endeavour would also be on bringing the railway's operating ratio at a "healthy level".

Roy blamed the weakened financial position of the railways to the implementation of the sixth pay commission and downturn in world economy and said they were "striving to improve the financial position".

He said the outlay for railway for the 12th Plan Period would be 7.35 lakh crore of which 2.04 lakh will be received through budgetary support.

Roy said efforts would be made to mobilise additional funds through advertisements at railway stations and use of vacant railway lands.