Railway Budget 2007 Highlights

• AC third class fares for lean and busy season cut by 8% and 4% respectively
• Expects 60 mt extra freight loading in FY07.
• 40% discount on incremental loading in open wagons
• AC first class fare cut by 3% in busy season
• AC first class fare cut by 6% in lean season
• Freight rates on diesel and petrol cut by 5%
• Freight rates on iron ore cut by 6%
• Sleeper class fares cut by 4%
• All passengers fares cut across the board
• Rail travel to be made easier for handicapped with special compartments.
• 32 new trains, 8 garib raths planned
• Hand held computers for on spot reservation
• Railways to invest Rs. 30,000 crores for freight corridor
• Construction of freight corridor soon
• Railways to introduce new high capacity sleeper coaches
• Railways witnesses Rs.10,227 crore in interest surplus in current year
• Tickets to be available at petrol pumps, ATMs and post office.
• Increases student concession upto 50% for UPSC exams.
• 50% increase in number of second class compartments in new trains
• Railways added 700 additional boggies in popular train.
• Railways to invest for improving infrastructure around stations
• Per tonne business has improved due to volumes
• 11,000 new wagons will be required for the high density network plan
• To explore independent private tarriff agency
• 20,000 Kms high density network, to see big investment
• New wagons to replace outdated ones
• Tarrif discount to increase high-axle wagon output
• To pre-empt empty running of wagons
• Wagon production for FY07 up by 10%
• Operating Ratio seen at 73.7% for FY07
• ROCE for FY07 at 32%
• Extra loading of 7MMT seen this year
• Railway profits for the year FY07 increase by 36% YoY
• Railways fund balance at Rs.16,000 crore for FY07
• In next 5 years, Railways to invest massively in container operations
• Frieght from steel and cement movement increased by 5%-7% in FY07
• Three years plan to increase facilities at key container terminals
• To explore independent private tarrif agencies
• 15,000 crores yearly profit seen on 1% improvement on loading
• Plans 838 new carragies in popular passenger trains
• Freight earnings up by 17% in 9 months
• Loss seen down in coaching business despite cut in fares
• Two new unreserved boggies for all trains
• Railways planned new wagon of 15-25 mt
• Railways to invest in 3 decker freight containers
• To invest Rs.5,000 crores for mumbai local rail service
• April - Dec. passenger traffic up by 14%
• Railway profit for the year FY07 at Rs.20,000 crore viz a viz Rs.14,700 crore in FY06
• Railway minister promises rail lines to add new steel & power plants
• NTPC, other companies to help in new construction
• Cement freight traffic up to 30% from 25%
• 15 pvt. container licences issued