“Amongst other things, the Railways will focus on four major areas- passengers safety, capital and developmental works, cleanliness and financial and accounting reforms,” he said. For passengers safety, a ‘rail sanraksha kosh’ will be created over a period of five years- a rail safety fund with corpus of Rs. 1,00,000 crores, announced the Finance Minister.
He also announced that unmanned leveled crossings on broad gauge lines will be eliminated by 2020. “Expert international assistance will be harnessed to improve safety preparedness. The thorough put is expected to be raised by 10 percent. This will be done through modernization, upgradation of identified corridors,” he said. He also said that unmanned leveled crossings on broad gauge lines will be eliminated by 2020.
The Finance Minister also announced that at least 25 stations are expected to be awarded during 2017-18 for station redevelopment and 500 stations will be made differently-abled-friendly by providing lifts and escalators. “It is proposed to feed around least 7,000 stations with solar power in the medium term,” he said. The government has also announced that railway lines of 3,500 kilometers will be commissioned in 2017-18 as against 2,800 kilometers in 2016-17. “Steps will be taken to launch dedicated trains of tourism and pilgrimage,” Jaitley said.
