Rail Budget 2013 Live: Pawan Kumar Bansal speech highlights no passenger fare hike
Debt Service Fund.
* Railways' freight loading traffic scaled down by 100 million tonnes from 1025 million tonnes because of economic slowdown.
* 5.2 per cent growth in passenger traffic expected in 2013-14.
* Allocation of Rs 1,000 crore each made for railway land development authority and railway station development authority.
* Rs 9000 crore investments expected including Rs 3,800 crore in port connectivity and Rs 800 crore in iron ore mines connectivity.
* Railway Energy Management Company to be set up to harness solar and wind energy.
* 47,000 vacancies for weaker sections and physically challenged to be filled up soon.
* It is proposed to air-condition locomotives.
* Free wi-fi facility to be provided in select trains.
* Special A/C coaches 'Anubhuti', to be introduced in select Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains to give excellent ambience with commensurate fare.
* Railways will use Aadhar data base for bookings and validation of passengers.
* Internet booking to be provided from 0030 hours to 2330 hours.
* Internet booking to be strengthened with next-generation e-ticketing system to eliminate delays.
* Common rail-bus ticket to be introduced for Katra-Vaishnodevi pilgrims.
* New train Azadi Express to places linked with the freedom struggle to be introduced, fares to be concessional.
* Losses to Railways on account of passenger traffic likely to mount to Rs 24,600 crore in 2012-13 from Rs 22,500 crore in 2011-12.
* 12th Plan railway size to be Rs 5.19 lakh crore, with gross budgetary support of Rs 1.94 lakh crore.
* Rs one lakh crore to be raised from public-private
