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Though an interim Budget, Yadav stuck to his tried and tested formula of keeping all happy by cutting fares for all — masses and classes. But this time around, his largesse of a 2 per cent across-the-board fare cut will result in a Rs 700 crore lower passenger earnings. In 2008-09, he had announced fare cuts but those were dynamic and flexible, resulting in revenue foregone of just Rs 250 crore.
The meltdown pulled down his five-year cash surplus target of Rs 100,000 crore by Rs 10,000 crore. In fact, in the current fiscal, it is expected to be Rs 5,686 crore lower at Rs 19,320 crore compared with the Rs 25,006-crore surplus in 2007-08. Almost a third of his cash surplus of Rs 90,000 crore of last five years will go towards salaries and pension — Rs 28,000 crore over this fiscal (Rs 13,500 crore) and 2009-10 following the Sixth Pay Commission award.
The Railways’ operating ratio too has slumped to 88.3 compared with last fiscal’s 75.9. An operating ratio of 88.3 means the Railways spend Rs 88.3 to earn every Rs 100. But this is no mean achievement compared with the operating ratio levels of 99 and more that Railways suffered after Pay Commission awards in the earlier years.
Yadav’s contribution to the government’s stimulus effort is thus limited to the 2 per cent fare cut. He pointed out that during his tenure, AC I fares were cut 28 per cent, AC 2 by 20 per cent. He also cut second class fares by 5 per cent for tickets costing less than Rs 50 and by 2 per cent for tickets costing over Rs 50.
But Lalu has left unattended some of the big-ticket agenda his ministry had drafted. For instance, the dedicated freight corridor entrusted to a special purpose vehicle two years ago is yet to achieve financial closure. He has only restated the earlier decision to initiate pre-feasibility studies for high speed trains.
For the next fiscal, Yadav has targeted a 13 per cent growth in gross traffic receipts at Rs 93,159 crore compared with the revised estimate of Rs 82,393 crore for 2008-09. In fact, despite a powering down of the economy, the Railways managed to earn Rs 492 crore more than the Budget estimate. He hopes to wean away more people from air to Rail given his expectations that passenger earnings will grow 12 per cent next year. Given that he has refused to give any sops to the industry in terms of freight rate cuts, his expectations from freight too is decent at 8.8 per cent.
TRAVEL BECOMES CHEAPER
• Second class and sleeper class fares cut by two per cent for tickets costing Rs 50 and more.
• A/C First Class, II and III tiers and A/C Chair Car fares cut by two per cent.
• Fares reduced by Re 1 for ordinary train travel costing up to Rs 50 per ticket for journey above 10 km.
PATNA MAKES IT TO BULLET TRAIN MAP
• 43 new trains to be started in 2009-10.
• Freight rates unchanged.
• Frequency of 14 trains to be increased, another 14 to be extended.
• Study for bullet trains on 6 stretches: Delhi-Amritsar, Ahmedabad-Mumbai-Pune, Hyderabad-Vijayawada-Chennai, Chennai-Bangalore-Ernakulam, Howrah-Haldia, Delhi-Patna.
• 25 surveys proposed comprising 14 new lines.
THE BUDGET, THE TRAFFIC
• Plan outlay kept at Rs 37,905 crore.
• Gross traffic receipts estimated at Rs 93,159 crore -- increase of Rs 10,766 crore from last fiscal.
• Passenger traffic estimated to grow by 7 per cent.
• Freight loading targeted at 910 MT, up by 60 MT.
• Dividend payable to general revenues kept at Rs 5,304 crore for 2009-10.
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Mr Lalu Prasadji, I have a request from you.1. Please help Pune passengers(office goers) commuting Pune to Dadar. Can we have the similar train as of Intercity for Mumbai office goers to Pune started for Pune office goers as welll. There isn't such good train for Pune passengers thereby leading the Puneites to stay in Mumbai and spend a lot of hard earned money. If you could start Intercit that starts from Pune at 7am and reaches Dadar at 9.30am and another train for the evening starting at 7pm and reaching Pune at 9.30pm will be great help to all puneites. We would be highly thankful to you. Else atleast you can reduce the time Deccan queen takes in the morning and make sure it reaches dadar before 9.30am and there is another train at 7pm from Dadar to reach Pune at 9.30pm. Please help Sir. Your kind help is highly solicited.Moreover as you know Pune Dadar is the most sought after travel path. increaing another Intercity will be a big revenue groccere for you kind regards
congratulations to lallooji.he has given benefit to all.to the country,railways,its employees,and to the people of india.no minister has been able to do what he has done.people were shy to say that they work for railways bcos of their meagre salaries b4.considering the amount of people that travel in trains,all the factors cannot be looked into like cleanliness etc.
The Railway minister has allowed the railways to utilise its assets better. As a senior official explained, railways turn around has had a lot to do with Lallu Prasad allowing them freedom to act so long the organization does better. This is no mean achievement in country where ministers interfere in the day to day functioning of their portfolios and find excuses for non-performance. Lallu's record in Bihar need not come in the way of his appraisal in railways in the same way as Modi's part in rioting is overlooked to give him credit for Gujarat's development. Thi without prejudice to the fact that railways can do much more on passenger amenities front and to modernize rolling stock.
BHARAT VASIYO KE LIYE RAIL SEWA MUFT(FREE};;. LALU YADAV *SHARTE LAGOO(CONDITION APPLY)
Hygiene on the Railways is a serious casualty. Doesn't Lalu know what cleanliness is? Even after five years of being minister, Lalu has not seen the need to give attention to this important aspect.
Lalu is the best. No one performs so well consistently. It is not a fluke.Rs. 90,000 crore profit.. wow!!Three cheers to Lalu.
Lallu belongs to that class of managers who does not have MBA degree ;still turned the Rlys into a profitable institutions and carried out imorovement continuouslyfor the last five years. I wish hime success
Great Progress of Indian Railway under Mr Lalu Prasad. High speed/Bullet train on major tracks should be the next milestone.Congratulations
save railway and bihar...make laalu life time railway minister
Go Lallu
to save railways and bihar Lalu should be made life tine railway minister
We are un-necessarily biased against Lalu. No previous minister of railways has achieved this much in the past.Comparisons, if at all are rquired, be made keeping in view all aspects, be it that in respect of profit, corruption and other facilities.
Thing to learn from Laloo: Let authorities take all decisions without ministeral intervention and all things can be corrected.
The extra middle berth introduced along the length of sleeper compartments is extremely inconvenient to tall persons and elderly people to get in and out. This should be removed. The quality of food served in railway stations and in running trains should also be improved.
good traffic should by pass cities in a similar manner as long distance buses do to improve efficient traffic. As more than 60% of railway revenue comes from frieght charges, why not have seperate tracks for goods traffic ?
I'm of the same view that expressed by Mr. K P Chandra.Whatever gimmicks Lalu may do or doing over the past five years, it is ultimately at the cost of the public. Just look into these facts - in the budget he declares no increase in passenger far or freight, but through backdoor, he increases the freight by 15-20% and the passenger fare through dubious means like tatkal, outstation booking (all booking offices located in a city excluding the station are outstation where 15 Rs extra is charged), declaraing slower trains as super fast and levying extra fare, levying surcharges on two point movements, busy season surcharge, broad gauge surcharge and what not. In the past 60 years, no Rly Minister has cheated the country and the Parliament like Lalu. On the other hand, passenger amenities have not improved. By adding additional berths in the coaches, he has made travel miserable. No safety. And if these are his achievements, then this country is destined to be ruled by fools.
Lalu ji, your performance as Rly. Minister is excellent. The Railways got good name. But the amenities are to be improved particularly the toilets. Except the AC coaches the other toilets are very bad condition. They are not at all bothered in the stations for clean up and filling water. The catering services are further improved. Abolish the departmental catering service and hand it over to private parties. Increases more and more private caters on the platforms and bring compition among them. To clear the local traffics for about 150 to 200 to KM distances you need to increase Fast passenger trains to meet and clean the traffic. Though many people are critical about the Tatkal service I feel it is required to meet the requirements of people for sudden travel plans. Above all the PUNTUALITY of the trains is to be FAR improved. Instead of bullet trains for the present, make the third line along side the duble line track to reduce the late running of the less important trains.
And who will give toilet training to the Railways and the entire Government of India! Claiming profits on top of widespread corruption, mismanagement and extremeley poor service, is the height of illiterate shamelessness on part of the Lalooji politicians of India!
You expect Laloo to provide toilet training, you seem to just put your foot in your mouth, what are you talking about, the railways have been doing well . As far as corruption is concerned yes it is true and i am sure you would have some time or the other bribed and so part of the chain
Lall in Delhi(Railways) and Nitish in Bihar is an excellent combination.Infact modern railway plan was hatched by this brillient engineer called Nitish. Lalu as true professional follwed the plan. Excellent
Reduction in Mail,Experess and General tickets is more welcome step. Scince two months there was a remarkable reduction in fule prices. However Railways did not act. With this step, people will feel comfortable. If the Railways review the catagiries of Classes of coaches, reduce the fistclass,2 tire ac, first class ac and increase AC 3 tire sleeper and Non Ac 3 tire sleeper. If the all coaches of first class, 2 tire converted into No ac 3 tire sleepers and AC 3 tire sleepers. Then the Railway income will defenetly recorded remakrable increse.
If you think reducing the ticket price by 10 rupees for the originaly price of 500 rupees you think Laloo is bringing good things...well think more..
mr ministerji, i requested to u to remove additional third berths in coaches, this make a big congestion in the trains, it make a very painful and miserable journey for every passenger. we feel like that indians are travelling like sheep-goat.instead of increasing trains, plz make separate tracks for goods and passenger trains.remove all additional surcharge, donot make public doubiouskk.
Mr.Yadav wanted to give some relief to the public.Some relief looks astronishing but really good.In some cases he has introduce new fees like outstation booking, increase tatkal rate,seasonal fees etc.Till i will dearly say that he has done something for the public of the county.Sabas Mr., keep it up.
LALU JI,in 2007 Rail Budget You mentioned to CHANGE BRINDAVAN-EXPRESS 2639/2640 Superfast to World-Class-Train amenities. Till now nothing started. In'70s this Train run from SBC JN-Cantonment-Jollarpet-Katpadi-Chennai. Now more than 10-yrs this Brindavan-Exp.with surcharge run like Express-Train with 11-stops for 362kms
What will these 43 trains carry - Fodder ? Look out , there could be another scam . Don't forget he was at the helm of affairs in Bihar for over 15 years and look where Bihar was when he left .
this was shocking travel in II-AC coaches of GIM/PUNE
You seem to forget the fact that Mr Yadav has been consistently performing well in the railway portfolio and has been acclaimed world over, as far as the 43 new trains are concerned, i think India has enough population who require these services, so please don't write like an ignorant
Lalu has reaped the good work left behind by Nitish Kumar while poor Nitish is now doing the tough job of putting Bihar on track , left ruined by Lalu's mis-rule of 15 years.
There is no concession in the containerized freight rates which we expected due to decrease in fuel prices.
Whatever gimmicks Lalu may do or doing over the past five years, it is ultimately at the cost of the public. Just look into these facts - in the budget he declares no increase in passenger far or freight, but through backdoor, he increases the freight by 15-20% and the passenger fare through dubious means like tatkal, outstation booking (all booking offices located in a city excluding the station are outstation where 15 Rs extra is charged), declaraing slower trains as super fast and levying extra fare, levying surcharges on two point movements, busy season surcharge, broad gauge surcharge and what not. In the past 60 years, no Rly Minister has cheated the country and the Parliament like Lalu. On the other hand, passenger amenities have not improved. By adding additional berths in the coaches, he has made travel miserable. No safety. And if these are his achievements, then this country is destined to be ruled by fools. Hats off to Sonia and her ilk.
That is called business my friend.. there are no free lunches.. although i strongly support private sector participation in railways.. its high time govt gets out of the business of business..
Lalu of Rail > Raju of Satyam, we are just waiting a biggest ever scam of the World from Rail
The middle class Indians are busy in myth making in terms of Ram and Ravan, Raju from tech city and Lalu form bad land Bihar etc.ever since the days of liberalisations. It is funny and paradoxical that our friend Prushottam has mentioned Lalu with Mr. Raju. This is time of busting bubble to busting myth- from America to India- from bad land of Bihar to tech city Hyderabad. Dera friend ! look at yourself ! where do you stand?