Budget 2018-19: 50 percent hike in allocation for increasing passenger comfort

The government has alloted Rs 1,657 crore in the Union budget for increasing passenger comfort across the railway network, an increase of about 50 percent from the last budget.

The allocation for passenger comfort has gone up from Rs 1,100.90 crore in 2017-2018 to Rs 1,657 crore in the Union budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

To improve the quality of travel and services, the government plans to create world-class modern train sets, including 'Train 18' and 'Train 20', which are planned to be manufactured at Integral Coach Factory at Chennai.

German-maker Linke Hoffmann Busch passenger coaches named 'Train 18' in consonance with 2018, the year of its production. The completely indigenous coaches are designed to run at a top speed of 160 kmph.

Train 20 is the next level of such train sets and consists of sleeper coaches. It is expected to be rolled out in 2020.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that his aim is to produce 100 such train sets, which will replace the Shatabdi and Rajdhani express trains in the near future.

Redevelopment of 600 major railway stations has also been taken up which will improve passenger amenities at stations and turn them into world-class facilities with wifi, drinking water facilities, upgraded waiting rooms, television sets, passenger information kiosks and other such facilities.

There will also be escalators installed at railway stations which have a footfall of over 25,000.