New Delhi: Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, in his fourth consecutive rail Budget to be presented on February 27, may announce the introduction of dozens of air-conditioned Garib Raths.
With that private players may play major role in the modernisation and development of infrastructure for the railways.
It is expected that the Railway Budget for 2007-08 may leave the second-class train fare unchanged but upper class AC and freight fares may be rationalised.
"Nobody can think of increasing fares when a huge turnaround is once again in the offing," PTI quoted a Rail Bhavan source saying.
However they were of the view that Lalu Prasad may continue to follow his mantra of not increasing fares but raising volumes and capacity.
In the wake of the turnaround and falling petrol prices globally, Lalu Prasad may rationalise the AC fares.
In the Budget for 2006-07 there was reduction in the AC first and AC second-class fares.
With regard to the introduction of more Garib Raths, the minister himself has indicated on several occasions that if the four Raths announced in the Budget 2006-07 are successful, more such trains linking state Capitals would be introduced.
At present two Garib Raths, one between Saharsa in Bihar and Amritsar in Punjab and another between Patna and Delhi, were in operation.
Another two Garib Raths between Delhi and Mumbai and Delhi and Chennai are to be launched before March 31.
Earlier, speaking at an infrastructure conference, Lalu Prasad had said a comprehensive scheme involving the investment of Rs 3,00,000 crore in the next five years was being planned, and 40 per cent of the funds are expected to come from public-private partnerships.
The public-private partnership (PPP) in the railway ministry is also in Lalu Prasad’s card to woo investments to develop and modernise rail transport.
"In order to attract private investment through PPP, there is a need for a policy which ensures adequate profits to investors...We have decided to set up a PPP cell headed by the chairman of the Railway Board to attract private particiaption," PTI quoted him speaking at the conference.
Referring to the Rs 30,000-crore eastern and western dedicated freight corridors linking Delhi to Mumbai and Kolkata, Lalu Prasad said his ministry favoured PPP to build multi-model logistics of the corridors while the running of trains remained with the railways.
The railways is devising a major strategy to win over the masses by significantly improving amenities, including at stations, and has asked all zonal railways to 'identify and hire' consultants and architects to refurbish stations.
“The railway ministry plans to make changes in the design and increase the capacity of such coaches from 64 to 81, and the effort will bring additional revenue to the railways and help in cutting short long waiting lists,” PTI quoted sources saying.
On the infrastructure side, Lalu Prasad has announced focused attention on modernising and upgrading wagon technology, installing advanced signaling and telecommunications, inducting high horsepower locomotives and using information technology.
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