Rail Budget to announce new superfast trains

New 'Jana Shatabdi' superfast trains are likely to be announced in the Railway Budget on Tuesday that might also hike second class passenger fares by 7-10 per cent to mop up Rs 10-billion additional revenue as part of tough 'rationalisation' measures to phase out cross subsidisation.

The third budget to be presented by the Railway Minister Nitish Kumar is also likely to rationalise freight rates by increasing highly subsidised freight charges on foodgrains, salt and fertilisers. But rates on steel and cement could be cut in a bid to attract high value goods.

The budget is not likely to contain any new rail projects which are usually included on reasons of political expediency.

Practically every major state in the country will get one or two Jana Shatabdi inter-city train that will run at the same speed (160 km/hr) of Shatabdi Express, but with a difference that most coaches would be second class and non-air conditioned.

These will be part of about 50 new trains to be announced in the Railway Budget to be presented on Feb 26, official sources told PTI, adding Jana Shatabdi fares would include meals just as in present Shatbadi Express.

The budget is also expected to carry out for the first time a major exercise of 'rationalisation' of freight and passenger fares to begin the phase out of cross-subsidisation that cost the Railways Rs 35 billion annually, the sources said.

The second class fares of Jana Shatabdi Express would be higher than the ordinary second class fares. The new trains being 'day' trains connecting two cities in various parts of the country would only have seats and no sleepers.

Backed by recommendations of the Rakesh Mohan Committee which went into the issue of restructuring the Railways, the budget would nearly double the allocation for completing the 'last-mile' projects from Rs 8 billion in the current year.

It is also expected to come out with guidelines for clearance of new projects to ensure no state is allocated projects on the basis of political expediency.

The budget would have no new projects, and would have several cost-cutting measures, the sources said.

PTI

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