Pragmatic Prabhu skips populism

Girja Shankar Kaura

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 26

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in his maiden effort today presented a fresh and an unconventional Railway Budget, consciously staying away from populism and focussing on consolidating assets and improving the financial health of the public sector behemoth.

(Video: Rail Budget 2015-16: No increase in passenger fares)

(Video: Rail Budge:Propose to move to predictive maintenance)

(Video: Pawan Bansal calls Rail Budget ‘disappointing’)

In a 70-minute speech that carried the distinct imprint of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Swachh Bharat”, “Digital India” and “Make in India” initiatives, the Railway Minister announced no new trains and much against his wishes, also did not tinker with the passenger fares.

“There will be no hike in passenger fares. We will focus on improving passenger amenities, including cleanliness,” Prabhu said in the Lok Sabha while watched keenly by Modi who had handpicked him for the job.

He promised to balance passenger needs and long-term interests of the organisation to benchmark it globally on quality, safety and reach.

Nine more high-speed trains, faster speed of existing trains, WiFi in 400 stations, user-friendly ladders to mount upper berths, easier norms for unreserved tickets, 17,000 bio-toilets in trains, better connectivity in the North-East, and cameras for the safety of women travellers are some of the other highlights of the Budget.

The minister announced a minor hike in freight tariff for urea (10 per cent), cement (2.7%), coal (6.3%) and iron and steel (0.8%). Both passenger and freight rates had seen a steep hike last year.

He emphasised bringing in fresh investments to improve the waning financial health of the railways and pointed out that the “vicious cycle of underinvestment” must end in the bleeding railways.

“Railways facilities have not improved substantially for the past few decades, which is the result of underinvestment that affects capacity, leading to poor morale. This fed into a vicious cycle of chronic underinvestment for a long time,” said the Railway Minister, pledging to correct that.

Prabhu ruled out the sale of surplus land and other rail assets. “We will monetise our resources,” he said. The business of asking for budgetary support from the Finance Ministry was neither sustainable nor necessary, he said.

He said investment in the overloaded railway network would be increased to Rs 8.5 lakh crore over the next five years, promising to modernise existing tracks and introduce faster trains. The proportion of rail revenue available for investments would rise to 11.5 per cent in the new fiscal starting on April 1, up from 8.2 per cent in the current fiscal, Prabhu said.

“Over the next five years, the Railways has to go through a transformation,” the minister said listing cleanliness, safety, modernisation of infrastructure and making the railways financially self-sustainable as his four big goals. “We have to make Indian Railways a benchmark organisation in safety, security and infrastructure,” he said while inviting private participation.

Prabhu said: “We also intend commissioning 800 km of gauge conversion. Additionally, we have sanctioned 77 projects covering 9,400 km of doubling/ tripling/quadrupling works along with their electrification at a total cost of Rs 96,182 crore which is over 2,700 per cent higher in terms of amount sanctioned in 2013-14, 2014-15 being a Plan holiday.”

Prabhu said Rs 6,581 crore had been earmarked for level crossing safety; train protection warning system to prevent fires; collision avoiding system; 917 safety work projects to eliminate over 3,000 unmanned crossings in all states; besides audio visual warning, radio-based signals design, unmanned level crossing to enhance safety.

A five-year safety plan will be ready by June 2015, which will include surveillance camera in women’s compartments, the financing for which will come from Nirbhaya fund.

The minister promised all this with a vastly improved operating ratio, which spells out how much money is spent on day-to-day operations to earn revenues — an indication of the funds left for safety and expansion.

He targeted to bring operating ratio down to 88.5 percent, or the lowest in nine years, from an unsustainable level of 93.6 percent in 2013-14 and 91.8 percent for this fiscal.

---

 

Prabhu’s Express: What's in it for you

Smart ticketing

• Those travelling unreserved can now buy ticket within 5 mins of entering a station
• Tickets can be purchased 4 months in advance
• Unreserved tickets can be bought through smart phones, debit cards
• TTEs will issue tickets through hand-held devices
• Rail-cum-road ticket at more stations

Customer is king

• Jerk-free travel after introduction of train sets
• Mobile charging points in all coaches
• Watch TV on Shatabdi
• Designer ladders for upper berths
• Order food according to palette
• Increased quota of lower berths for seniors
• Faujis not to spend time on getting warrants endorsed
• More trains with AC three-tier coaches

Breathe easy

• New department to keep stations clean
• Cleaner stations with escalators and lifts
• 17,000 more bio-toilets in trains to cut stink 
• 650 more toilets at stations 
• Railways' Research, Design and Standards Organisation to design vacuum toilets 
• Disposable linen on payment at all stations
• Disposable bags with bedroll for collection of garbage

Surf at stations

• Access WiFi at 400 stations
• Get SMS alerts about updated arrival/ departure time of trains
• Mobile application to address complaints of people
• Book wheelchairs online
• Innovation Council and Technology Portal will be set up to invite suggestions on improvements