Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav presented the Railway Budget for 2005-06 in Parliament on Saturday.

Following are the highlights of the Budget:

• No hike in rail passenger fares
• Freight rates remain unchanged
• Plan to modernise and expand rail services
• Rail freight up 7.67%
• Railways regain share of freight market
• Freight growth higher than economic growth
• 8% growth in passenger fare income
• Freight target: 600 mn tonne
• Earning target: Rs 30,450 crore
• To carry 43 mn ton more freight in FY06
• Revenues steady in FY06
• Private participation to be encouraged
• Double 538 Kms of rail lines in FY06
• FY06 gauge conversion target 935 Kms
• 46 new trains announced.
• 27 trains get extension
• 10 trains of higher frequency
• Parcel rates kept unchanged
• Freight for kerosene to be cut by 3.7%, LPG to be cut by 2.7%.
• Plan to work on 150 kmph train between New Delhi & Howrah, Chennai
• Passenger traffic expected to rise 4%
• Good tariff to be made simple, rational and transparent
• Private participation to be encouraged
• Ticket- booking on Internet: Timings to be increased to 4.00 am to 11.30 pm from 8.00 am to 10. pm currently.
• Railways to commercially develop rail land near major stations.
• Surplus of Rs 6963 crore
• IRFC to borrow Rs 3,400 cr in FY06
• Private participation to be encouraged
• FY06 gauge conversion target 935 Kms
• Double 538 Kms of rail lines in FY06
• Spot booking of vacant berths to be allowed
• Rs 3645 cr of Safety Fund to be spent this year 
• Rs 6504 cr from Railway Safety Fund spent last year
• New trains: Daily Chennai-Egmore-Secunderabad Express
• Lalu proposes double-decker containers
• Will allow private container companies to operate
• Rural children: 75% discount on second class fare
• Gross traffic receipts to rise from Rs 44902 cr to Rs 46785 cr
• 538 km of rail lines to be doubled in FY06
• Farmers, milkmen to be given 50% discount on second class rail fare
• Gross traffic receipts for FY06 seen at Rs 50,970 cr
• Railways double collection of arrears in FY05
  
  The Railway Budget 2005-06: Complete Coverage