Rail Budget 2008-09: Highlights

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Railway Minister Lalu Prasad began presenting his fifth budget for his ministry in the Lok Sabha at noon Tuesday amid initial protests by opposition members.

He announced a cash surplus of more than Rs 25,000 crore for 2007-08 while outlining his strategy of achieving high volumes by keeping the passenger fares low and selectively imposing surcharges to generate high revenues from freight.

Here are some highlights of rail Budget 2008-09.

Budget Highlights

• 5% reduction in 2nd class fares beyond 50 km
• AC-I fares to be cut by 7%, AC-II by 4%, AC-III by 3%
• Sleeper fare to be cut by 5%
• TV, internet services on trains in future
• Special focus on North Eastern Region
• Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani to run tri-weekly
• Special train between Delhi and Pune for Commonwealth Games
• 10 new Garib Raths to be introduced this year
• 53 new trains to be introduced
• A new rail coach unit to be set up in Kerala
• AC Northern railway main hospital in Delhi
• 50 per cent concession for AIDS patients traveling in trains
• Mother Child Health Express to be started
• Rajdhani, Shatabdi to get modernised coaches
• Modular toilets to be installed in trains
• 6,000 automated ticket machines in 2 years
• Amritsar Garib Rath tri-weekly
• Bagalkota-Jaswantpur train now daily
• Kurla to Howrah train bi-weekly