The Indian Railways is likely to get record allocations in the budget as the national transporter is eyeing massive infrastructure improvement including building of over 500 Vande Bharat Express trains, 100 per cent electrification and re-development of railway stations.
With Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman set to present the Union budget on February 1, the railway is expecting to get budgetary support of Rs 1.9 lakh crore for 2023-24 financial year from Rs 1.4 lakh crore in the 2022-2023.
The Finance Minister is also likely to allocate another Rs 1.2 lakh crore from extra-budgetary resources.
With increased passenger expectations, the railways is planning to refurbish over 1,000 coaches of premier trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Humsafar and Tejas. These coaches interiors will be improved with a modern look and more passengers comfort, said the official.
Signification allocation is likely made to replace old tracks as the railways plan to speed up trains with Vande Bharat Express in more destinations.
Aimed at attracting tourists, the Railways is proposing to manufacture 100 more Vistadome coaches.
Manufacturing 35 hydrogen fuel-based trains, 4,500 newly designed automobile carrier coaches with side entry, 5,000 LHB coaches and 58,000 wagons also on the budget proposals.
Applauding the Railways' efforts for recovering in both the passenger and freight segments post the Covid pandemic, the Economic Survey for 2022-23 has credited the government for substantial increase in funds that has allowed the national transporter to augment infrastructure at a fast pace.
The survey found that from FY 2014-22 across the Indian Railways, 20,628 km sections (3,970 km new line, 5,507 km gauge conversion and 11,151 km doubling) have been commissioned at an average of 2,579 km/year, which is 70 per cent more than the average commissioning during 2009-14 (1,520 km/year), it said.
(Published 31 January 2023, 16:23 IST)
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