Railway budget 2012 Speech highlights - LIVE Blogging

Dinesh Trivedi's Railway Budget 2012 Speech was rather interesting with poetry and interesting proposals.
Focus of this year's rail budget:

• Safety
• Consolidation
• Recongestion and capacity management
• Modernization
• Bring down operation ratio

Highlights of Railway Budget 2012-13 (Rs 2.5 Lakh Crore Budget):

1. Independent railway safety authority - Rs 16842 crore plan
2. Eliminate level crossings in next 5 years
3. Railways must attract 10% government infrastructure spending
4. Plan to modernise 19000 km; Rs 6467 crore on track modernisation
5. 800 M Gauge conversion target for this year 
6. Propose to complete 45 new projects
7. New tracks in tribal areas
8. New autocars to be introduced
9. Four new rail coach factories in Kerala
10. Locomotive factory at Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh
11. 2 new manufacturing units in Kutch area in Gujarat
12. 1500 EMU coaches added
13. SMS and internet alerts of train status, in the next 18 months
14. Disaster management advanced machinery proposed. Training centres in Bengaluru, Kharagpur and Lucknow.
15. Propose to set up a specialised housekeeping body to improve standard of hygiene and cleanliness in trains and station... in the next 6 months.
16. Specially designed coaches for differently-abled persons.
17. Engage reputed professional agencies to handle catering. A pilot project to be initiated.
18. Green toilets like bio toilets to be installed in 2500 coaches.
    
    
    
19. Rae Bareily coach factory is ready
20. Rail Khel Ratna award proposed for performers in sports... world class training to be provided 
21. For pilgrimages, Guru Parikrama special train - Amritsar-Patna-Nanded route 
22. 75 new express trains, 21 new passenger trains to be introduced
23. 50 per cent concession in fare in AC classes to anaemia and sickle cell disease patients.
    
    
     
24. Allocation of Rs 1112 crores for amenities
25. Need Rs 5 Lakh crores from PM's Rail Scheme
26. Propose electrification of 6500 km
27. Rajdhani travel for Arjuna Award winners
28. Increase in passenger fare due to rise in prices in everything; fare hasn't been hiked in 8 years. Increase in fares in Express Trains: Second Class - 2 paise per km, AC 3 tier and AC Chair Car- 10 paise per km, AC 2 tier - 15 paise per km, AC First Class - 30 paisa per km
29. Independent Railway Tariff Regulatory Authority
    
    
    proposed
30. Suburban travel fare increased by 2 paise per km
31. Rounding off of fares to avoid inconvenience. Fare of Rs 11 will become Rs 10. 
32. Railways will require Rs 14 lakh crore over next 10 years.
33. Increase in train speeds to 160 kmph considered which can reduce travel time from New Delhi to Kolkata by 3 hours.
34. Platform ticket prices increased to Rs 5.

RAIL BUDGET AND MUMBAI / NAVI MUMBAI

1. 75 new services to be introduced
2. Aim to introduce AC services between Churchgate and Virar, CST and Kalyan.
3. Elevated corridor from Churchgate to Virar in Mumbai being firmed up.
   
   
    
4. Seventy-five services to be added to suburban network.
5. Suburban travel fare increased by 2 paise per km
6. Conversion from DC to AC power supply completed in Mumbai's Western Railway corridor, conversion of DC to AC in Central Railway corridor to be completed in 2012-13.
7. 12 car rakes in harbour lines - Mumbai / Navi Mumbai
8. Elevated rail corridors from Churchgate to Virar - Mumbai
9. Direct connectivity of Navi Mumbai to other parts of the country 
10. Starting a coaching complex and terminal in Navi Mumbai.
11. Add impetus to connectivity between eastern-western corridors of Mumbai and increase connectivity between Panvel, Vashi and JNPT at Nhava Sheva.
12. Elevated Rail corridor plan in Mumbai

 You may also like to read:

1. Dinesh Trivedi's Shaayari during Rail Budget Speech

2. Rail Budget posts on this site (Railway budget highlights of 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012)

3. Mumbai Local's 17-Point Fun Wishlist for Railway Budget

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Mumbai Local's 17-Point Fun Wishlist for Railway Budget

Need Superheroes to reach the other side!

Railway budget 2012-2013 will be presented on 14th March 2012 (rail budget schedule). We will probably watch it live / read the highlights / tweet about it. And then we will praise / curse it for a couple of days only to forget all about it by the next week.

So, how about creating a Mumbai Local's Fun Wishlist for Rail Budget... sochne mein kya jaata hai:

1. Superman and Spiderman services: For those who prefer crossing tracks over using FOBs... Reach-The-Other-Side services at a premium of course!
2. Meru Trains, Mega Trains, Easy Trains... (Hire a train... get a pick-up and drop at your doorstep).
3. Relispray Exits: Special exit doors for those who injured their shoulders, feet, heads, etc. in the dhakka-mukki.
4. Sleeper compartments: People who love to sleep need not use other commuters' shoulders as pillows!
5. Half-priced season tickets for fourth-seat occupants.
6. Haath dikhao, train roko: Running late for work and you might miss the train? Just wave to make it stop for you!
7. 70% discount for standees.
8. Air-conditioned local trains with aroma diffusers.
9. Ban on pointed heels.
10. Fine on Deodorant-less travel.
11. Web check-ins: For guaranteed window seats! (idea taken from a Twitter follower of this site)
12. Heavy fine for those who litter: Make them pick litter for a month.
13. Separate compartment for shoppers and vendors: Love to shop while travelling? Board this compartment.
14. Chillam-Chilli zone: Sound-proof areas in compartments where the arguing men and women can proceed with their jhagdaas!
15. Railway announcement text indicators: Scrolling text transcripts of the announcements they make at railway stations... kuch toh samjhegaa!
16. Fixed table-chair arrangement for college girls who want to complete their journals while travelling.
17. Expandable compartments: Compartments will automatically expand based on the commuter inflow.

Like it? Feel free to add to the list / share it with fellow commuters / friends.
How about joining us on Facebook / Twitter.

Addition to the list by Mumbaikars:

1. Automatic Beep censor system in compartments as a replacement for abuses. (contributed by Deepa Nair)

 You may also like to read:

1. Railway budget 2012 Speech highlights - LIVE Blogging

2. Dinesh Trivedi's Shaayari during Rail Budget Speech

3. Rail Budget posts on this site (Railway budget highlights of 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012)

4. Railway Budget 2012 and Mumbai / Navi Mumbai

    

 Click here for all the Rail Budget posts on this site (Railway budget highlights of 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012).

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Railway Budget 2012-13 Timing / Telecast Schedule

Railway Budget 2012-13 will be presented by Union Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi on Wednesday, March 14, 2012. The timing of the Rail Budget presentation is 12 noon.


Here is the schedule of Railway Budget Telecast and Rail Budget News on Television Channels:

DD National

10.30 am: Pre railway budget analysis - LIVE

11.00 am: Question hour - LIVE

12 noon: Union Railway Budget Presentation - LIVE

DD News

11.00 am: Rail Budget

CNBC Awaaz

11.30 am: Rail Budget Special

12 noon: Rail Budget Speech

 

CNBC TV 18

11.30 am: Rail Budget Speech and Analysis
CNN IBN

12 noon: Railway Budget 2012 speech

NDTV India (Hindi)

12 noon: Railway Budget 2012 speech

There are speculations about increase in train travel fare. Well, considering that their hasn't been any significant fare hike in the recent years, there has been much development and compared to other means of transport (arguing rickshawallahs and cabwallahs, overpriced flights, etc.) train travel is much better, a small increase in rail fare should not disappoint the daily commuters.

Also, lesser number of new trains are expected this year. but you never know until the rail budget is read out. So let's hope for the best and travel safe.

Stay tuned on this site / our Facebook page for updates / highlights of Railway Budget 2012-2013.

feel free to discuss the rail budget on the Twitter page of this site (for mentions, pls use @MumbaiLocals).

Click here for all the Rail Budget posts on this site (Railway budget highlights of 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

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Nerul-Thane Local Train Time Table 2012

Here's the latest Nerul-Thane time table effective from February 2012:

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Thane-Nerul Local Train Time Table 2012

Here's the latest Thane-Nerul time table effective from February 2012:

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Have you saved 9833331111 on your phone?

Holi Special:Commuting by Mumbai local trains can be sometimes difficult during Holi when miscreants throw water balloons towards passing trains. 

To help commuters, Government Railway Police (GRP) has urged people to call up on the helpline number 9833331111 and report such nuisance.

Thanking Akshay Iyer for sharing this info.

Click on this link to find all the Railway Helpline Numbers.

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The 4th Seat Rules

4th Seat might be a non-existent term in the first class gents compartments of Mumbai local trains. However, in the general and ladies compartments the fourth seat means a lot. Also, there are quite some unspoken, unofficial rules and fundas surrounding the famed fourth seat. Let me take you through the list:

1 - It is the fourth seat occupant who sits sideways / occupies the least seat space. If two places are already occupied and you and a 'competition' aim for those, there's a simple rule. You can't occupy the 4th seat completely leaving negligible bum space for the third seat occupant. Firstly, it leaves three people sitting uncomfortably. Secondly, it results in blocking the standee space between two benches.

2 - The fourth seat occupant has to struggle a lot as people walk through the gangway. The knees are brushed and the feet can be stamped with many heels. If you are wearing a saree, God bless you coz the saree pleats can be spoiled.

3 - The fourth seat occupant gets the least ventilation in a crowded train.

4 - The fourth seat occupant can be subjected to holding the cardboard boxes when vendors selling accessories carry out their business in the trains.

5 - When window seat, second / third seat commuter gets up, it's the 'right' of fourth seatwaala to slide inside leaving the fourth seat vacant.

No one's going to penalize you if you do not follow these unofficial rules, but unless you want to invite nasty looks and arguments and unnecessary kichkich, you rather treat this as a guide when you travel by a Mumbai local train.

PS Nothing's official about all these points. It's just and attempt to make your commute peaceful and jhagdaafree!

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Station discrimination or what?

Yesterday a Mumbai local train commuter posted about his lost bag in a train. He was wondering if and how he can get it back. Of course, I was unable to see the post instantly and could not guide him about the immediate steps to be taken. Incidentally, today's newspaper speaks about an abandoned tiffin box.

While the commuters' presence of mind is commendable, as they reported it to the helpline number immediately, the lack of facilities to handle such situations is a cause of concern.

The passengers alerted the RPF control room as soon as the train departed from Borivali station. However, a cop boarded the train only at Andheri! Apparently, bomb squads are deployed only at 'major' stations!

Imagine the fear among the commuters who spent 20 minutes thinking about the dreadful terror attacks that had stirred Mumbai in the past! It's a shame that still only few stations have bomb squads. At least one cop per station should be trained to handle such situations instantly, at least least the control room should be equipped to direct such calls to the concerned authorities without delay...

What bothers me also is the 'major stations' bit. I wonder how the railway authorities are deciding on which station is major and which isn't. Coz every single life, regardless of station, is a major life, isn't it?

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