Union Budget 2017: End-to-end' transport of key items on anvil
Arun Jaitely also announced competitive ticket booking facility to the public at large.
New Delhi: The focus of the first combined Budget seemed to be making the Railways more competitive as far as other modes of transportation were concerned with the government announcing “end to end” integrated transport solutions for select commodities.
The Railways will customise its tracks as well as coaches to transport perishable goods, especially agricultural products. This will make the Railways a competitive mode of transport compared to road and water.
The new transport solutions would be implemented through partnership with logistics players, who would provide both front and back end connectivity, finance minister Arun Jaitley announced.
“Rolling stock and practices will be customised to transport perishable goods, especially agricultural products. As part of accounting reforms, accrual based financial statements will be rolled out by March 2019,” he said.
Mr Jaitely also announced competitive ticket booking facility to the public at large. Passengers will also get cleaner coaches with the budget announcing a facility called ‘Swachchh Rail’. Through this SMS-based service, passengers can inform on the cleanliness status of the coaches.
A separate service called the “Coach Mitra” facility, which will be a single window interface, to register all coach related complaints and requirement has also been launched.
The finance minister also announced that by 2019, all coaches of Indian Railways will be fitted with bio-toilets.
A pilot project for environment-friendly disposal of solid waste and conversion of bio-degradable waste to energy have been set up at New Delhi and Jaipur railway stations. The Railways has decided to set up five more such solid waste management plants. Railway stations will also get a new look with a separate redevelopment plan being initiated.
Around 500 stations will be made differently-abled friendly by providing lifts and escalators.
The Railways has also decided to go ahead with the proposal to empower around 7,000 stations with solar power. “A beginning has already been made in 300 stations. Works will be taken up for 2,000 railway stations as part of 1000 MW solar mission”.