Railway Budget 2014: Achievements, Initiatives and Safety

Mumbai: The Railway Budget 2014 is all set to be presented Parliament on Tuesday, 8 July, with railway minister Sadananda Gowda to propose the upcoming changes and proposals for the lifeline of India. Below are some of the highlights of the Railway Budget for 2014-15.

Achievements / Initiatives

• Major landmark achievement in National Project of Kashmir.
• State of Meghalaya and capital of Arunachal Pradesh to be on Railway Map by this fiscal.
• Gauge Conversion of strategically important 510 km Rangiya – Murkongselek line in Assam to be completed by this fiscal.
• XIth Five Year Plan Targets exceeded in New Lines (2,207 km) , Doubling (2,758 km) and Electrification (4,556 km), Production of Diesel  (1,288) & Electrical (1,218) Locos and Acquisition of Wagons (64,875)
• Dedicated Freight Corridors on the Eastern and Western Routes – leading to strategically critical capacity augmentation.
• Railways met from its own means the total additional impact of Rs one lakh crore due to implementation of 6th Pay Commission
• In 2013-14, 1532 km of New Lines, Doubling and Gauge Conversion commissioned.
• Production commenced at the new factories – Rail Wheel Plant, Chhapra; Rail Coach Factory, Rae Bareli; and Diesel Component Factory, Dankuni.
• Specially designed coaches for adverse weather condition for rail travel in Kashmir.
• Successful development of Corrosion resistant, lighter wagons with higher pay-load and speed potential up to 100 kmph.
• Railways sportspersons dominate national events by winning titles in 23 disciplines and runners up in 9 disciplines. In various international championships a total of 2 Gold, 4 Silver and 3 Bronze Medals won.
• Unigauge Policy started in 1992 has converted 19,214 km to Broad Gauge, benefiting several States including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Tamil Nadu.

 Measures for improving Safety & Security

• No unmanned Level Crossing. A total of 5,400 unmanned level crossings eliminated – 2,310 by manning it and 3,090 by closure / merger / construction of ROBs or RUBs.
• Improved audio – visual warning to road users in advance of approaching trains.
• Induction of indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System
• Development of ‘crashworthy’ coaches
• In last five years, offering employment to over one lakh persons in Group C categories and to 1.6 lakh persons in erstwhile Group D categories.
• Provision of Vigilance Control Device in all locomotives

Various measures to prevent fire incidents on trains –

• Fire retardant materials
• Multi-tier protection for electric circuits
• Portable fire extinguishers in coaches
• Induction based cooking to replace LPG in pantry cars
• Intensive checks against explosives and inflammable materials

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