Rail budget today
Minister for Railways Mallikarjuna Kharge will present his interim budget on Wednesday.There are indications that passenger fares may not be touched, barring minor changes in a few segments in the first rail budget to be presented by Kharge. Better passenger amenities and safety are expected to be on top of Kharge�s agenda. He is likely to announce measures to enhance safety for passengers, such as installation of fire safety systems and use of fire-retardant materials in more trains, while announcing implementation of the Train Collision and Avoidance System on more routes.
There could be employee-friendly announcement for porters, gangmen and trackmen in the budget. The minister could also announce semi-high speed trains on a few busy corridors. Kharge�s home state Karnataka may get a big project. The minister is likely to announce a new 252.5 km Wadi-Gadag line. On passenger amenities front, the minister is expected to announce measures like installation of upgraded real-time train information system at stations and operation of automatic ticket vending machines at many stations.
