Rail Budget on expected Lines

Lalu Prasad Yadav Rail Budget is on expected Lines here are few highlights

* Railway profit in 2007-08 at Rs 25,000 crore.
* Railway Minister Lalu Yadav announced that Indian Railways will introduce 15,000 ticketing counters in the next 2 years. The Railways plans to offer tickets through mobile phones.

* By 2009 call centre based inquiry services to be unveiled.
* Issuance of wait-listed e-tickets will also allowed
* Operating ratio of the Railways was at 76%.
* Rs 49,250 crore invested into new railway projects.
* Railway plan size increased from Rs 11,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore in the last four years.
* Productivity of Railway assets has been constantly increasing.
* Railways attained 790 tonne payload target in the year 2007-08.
* E-ticket booking is likely to rise to 300,000 from 100,000 in a year.
* Freight traffic target of 785 million tonnes crossed to touch 790 million tones
* Railway plan size increased from Rs 11,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore in the last four years.
* 560 railway station platforms to be lengthened to take long trains.
* Middle-level and low-level platforms to be upgraded to high-level platforms in several stations to help commuters.
* More facilities for women and old passengers.
source rediff.com