RAILWAY SAMACHAR

UPA to unveil interim

Railway budget in Feb

New Delhi : The government is likely to make new indirect tax proposals but likely to eschewany direct tax proposal this time. This step is being taken to ensure that thefresh budget is prepared and presented after the general elections. AHEAD OF the next year's general elections, the UPA Government will unveil aninterim budget on February 16, in the next session of Parliament. UPA's interim budget is likely to give a brief of the economy and the government could announce a slew of populist measures. The next session of the Parliament is scheduled to commence on February 12, withan address of the President and conclude on February 26. The government is likely to make new indirect tax proposals but likely to eschewany direct tax proposal this time. This step is being taken to ensure that thefresh budget for next fiscal is prepared and presented by the new government after the general elections. The interim Railway budget will be presented on February 13. The session will open with President Prathiba Patil's address and will see promulgation of two ordinances on central universities and CISF. Since most of the members of Parliament are likely to be in their constituencies, this session is likely to witness low attendance and would be important only for technical reasons.

Central Railways witness 4.38 per cent growth in earnings

Mumbai : The first nine months of the current fiscal saw the Central Railway registered agrowth of 4.38 per cent in its originating revenue, General Manager B B Modgilsaid today. Speaking at the Republic Day function at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, hesaid earnings of the Central Railway have increased to Rs 4416 crores ascompared to Rs 4231 crores during the corresponding period of last fiscal. He also said the Central Railway achieved 56.85 million tonnes of originating loading during 2007-08, registering an increase of 3.93 million tonnes than 2006-07. During April to December 2008, Central Railway carried 39.89 million tonnes of originating freight traffic. It has recorded an excellent performancein the passenger sector during the current fiscal carrying 1130 million passengers as compared to 1096 million passengers during the same period last year. Eight new mail/express trains were introduced on the Central Railway during April to December 2008 along with increase in frequency of six trains.Central Railway has also augmented 42 pairs of popular trains with 116 coaches and achieved an originating earning of Rs 163.5 crores during April to December 2008 through 'other coaching services', whichwas 16.61 per cent higher as compared to the earning during corresponding periodof previous year. Mumbai suburban train system is the lifeline of this metropolis, where more than 3.5 million commuters travel every day and from tomorrow 38 additional services would be introduced, thus a total of 102services have been introduced in the fiscal year taking the total daily servicesto 1410.

Rly Board reviews performance

Kolkata : Mr K. C. Jena, Chairman, Railway Board, held a meeting at the Eastern Railway head quarters at Fairlie Place, Kolkata, on Saturday to review the performance of the three railways based in Kolkata, namely Eastern, South Eastern and Metro Railways. Mr Deepak Krishan, General Manager, Eastern Railway, Mr A. K. Jain, General Manager, South Eastern Railway, and Mr V. N. Tripathi, General Manager, Metro Railway, and principal heads of departments of all the three Railways were present, says a press release.

Central Railways plans Rs 230 cr security project

Mumbai : The Central Railways is planning a Rs 230-crore project to beefup security in the aftermath of the November 26 Mumbai terror strikes. "We will try to make our railways as safe as possible and have planned anIntegrated Safety System at a cost of Rs 230 crore to handle all aspects of safety," CR General Manager B B Modgil said today. The project could be implemented on the build-operate- own-transfer (BOOT) modeland the Railway Board had suggested that a portion of advertising rights on the railways could be given to the provider of the security system as payment, he said. "We will be floating the Expression of Interest documents soon to assess theinterest in the market but if there is none then we would have to considertrying to pay for the project," Modgil said. The system was being developed on the model proposed by several security agencies and had various components, including access control, baggage screening and a network of closed circuit cameras, Modgil said. "We are also identifying points of unauthorised access on the railways and will be putting up fences to bring an end to it," he said. The busy Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) station was one of thetargets of the terrorists in November last year.