Railway Budget 2020 LIVE: More funds for bullet trains and airport-like stations in offing
Railway Budget 2020: Indian Railways, the lifeline of the country and the common man, is expecting big announcements from the Railway Budget 2020. Will trains fare hike? Is one of the biggest questions raised ahead of Budget. Railway Budget 2020 is expected to lay out the roadmap for an investment of Rs 50 lakh crore by 2030 in the Indian Railways network.
In 2016, Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget by Modi government. In February 2017, the then FM Arun Jaitley became the first to present the Railway Budget as a part of the main Budget speech.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting her Budget speech of the new decade in Parliament. As per Railway Budget speech, FM may focus on the requirement to invite more public sector investment in Indian Railways.
Earlier, the Railway Board Chairman confirmed that Indian Railways were preparing starting six more bullet train corridors. A detailed project report DPR will soon be completed. Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget Speech 2020 is likely to make budgetary allocation for the same. Stay with us as we bring you the latest from Budget 2020:
Railway Budget 2020: Key Highlights
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Free high-speed WiFi connectivity at 1000s of railway stations across the country.
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Private participation in Railways
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1,150 trains to be run in PPP mode, also 4 stations to be redeveloped with help of private sector, says FM
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550 wi-fi facilities have been commissioned at railway stations
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Proposal for setting up large solar power capacity alongside rail track is under consideration
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Rs 100 lakh crore to be invested in India's infrastructure
Modi government's aim to allow for Rs 100 lakh crore investment in infrastructure which includes model railway stations, airports, housing for all, irrigation projects etc, says Nirmala Sitharaman.
Delhi-Mumbai expressway will be completed by 2023.
More Tejas types train to connect tourist places, says FM Sitharaman
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Kisan Rail through PPP
Railway Budget 2020 announced 'Kisan Rail' for the benefit for farmers in PPP mode for the cold supply chain to transport perishable goods. FM Nirmala Sitharaman says "Kisan Rail" for farmers will be set up via the Public-Private Partnership model. The freight trains will help farmers transport their perishable products easily.
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Railways prepare for Six more bullet train corridor
As many as 6 new corridors are in the pipeline as Indian Railways is now planning to expand India's first bullet train project, which eyes completion by 2023. As the preparations for the project has already begun, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for 6 more high-speed rail projects have already been sanctioned by Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways.
Depending on the traffic potential and the feasibility, the routes listed below will be finalised for high-speed (over 300 kmph speed) or semi-high speed (between 160-250 kmph speed).
Delhi-Noida-Agra-Lucknow-Varanasi (865 kilometres distance)
Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur-Ahmedabad (886 kilometres distance)
Mumbai-Nashik-Nagpur (753 kilometres distance)
Mumbai-Pune-Hyderabad (711 kilometres distance)
Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysuru (435 kilometres distance)
Delhi-Chandigarh-Ludhiana-Jalandhar-Amritsar (459 kilometres distance)
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Railway fares to be hiked?
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is unlikely to announce any hike in passenger fare seem low as the government had raised fares recently. The Centre may not consider increasing freight rates either. The Railways increased basic passenger fare by up to 4 paise for various classes of Indian Railways from January 1.
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Indian Railways offers airport-like stations
Soon, Indian Railways Gwalior, Nagpur, Amritsar and Sabarmati stations will have world-class airport-like facilities. For the redevelopment project, Indian Railways is aiming to completely revamp its stations with airport-like facilities, ensuring commercial development of areas around the stations as well.
