Railway budget 2015-2016 highlights

HIGHLIGHTS: Goal 1-Customer experience to receive a huge boost, Goal 2 - Safer Travel Goal 3 -Modernize infrastructure; Goal 4- Indian Railways- Financially self-sustainable ? 492 section of Railways are running at a capacity of more than 100%; 228 running between 80-100% -Railway Minister: To Increase Track Capacity By 14% To 138,000 km -Will Increase Annual Freight Capacity To 1.5 Bn Tn -Plan To Increase Annual Passenger Capacity To 30 m -To Partner With Private Sector To Improve Rolling Stock Fleet -Will Work Closely With States To Improve Rail Connectivity -Envisage Rs.8.5 Lk Cr Investment Over 5 Years -Operating Ratio For FY16 Seen At 88.5% -No Increase In Passenger Fare -To Have Toilets In 650 Stations;Replace 17000 Toilets -All india 24 X 7 helpline 138 from 1/3/15 ; Toll free No.182 ? for security complaints -Passengers W/o Reservations Can Book Tickets In 5 Mins through smart phones; debit cards -SMS alert on mobile, customer portal promoting digital India campaign - Rly display network - Passengers To Be Able To Book Food Options Fm IRCTC Website -Surveillance cameras on select mainline and ladies compartments -As a part of #DigitalIndia initiative, WiFi service on platforms to be provided -Online booking of wheelchairs for senior citizen, patients and differently-abled people -Mobile phone charging facility will be made available in general coaches -On-board entertainment on some #Shatabdi trains to be introduced -NID has been approached to design more user friendly folding ladders for climbing to upper berths -24 to 26 coaches in certain identified trains, more general class coaches -Lifts and escalators planned at major stations for easy movement of passengers -Middle Berth Will Be Reserved For Women & Senior Citizens -Increasing Number Of Advanced Booking Days To 120 Days -All newly manufactured coaches will now be Braille-enabled -67% more funds allotted for passenger amenities -Braille enabled coaches, collaboration with NIFT NID for better bed rolls, inner coach designs: -Station redevelopment of select stations to be processed through simpler processors for faster redevelopment -We want our Railways to be iconic structures, we propose to develop satellite terminals -Intend to commission 800 kms of gauge conversion -Fast track highest priority works. Investment 84% higher; 77 new projects -Railway connectivity for North Eastern State and J&K - ongoing process major thrust -To spend Rs 96,182 Cr on capacity expansion in FY16 -TRANSLOC ? new PSU ? end to end logistics solution -Implementation of two dedicated freight corridors in full swing -State of the art perishable cargo center under completion for farmers -1330% increase in railway electrification over previous year -To prevent fire in coaches,we'll install train protection warning system and train collision avoiding system -To Spend Rs 6,581 Cr On Level Crossing Safety