New Delhi: The Railways earned Rs 228 crore more by charging full adult fare from children in the reserved class in the fiscal 2016-17, Rajya Sabha was told today.

Railways earned total Rs 914 crore from child passengers between April 21, 2016 and March 20, 2017 as against Rs 686 crore during the same period the previous year.

Children, between 5 and 12 years of age, for whom berth is sought at the time of reservation, are charged full adult fare from April 21, 2016, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said in a written reply in the House.

However, at the time of reservation if full berth is not sought then half of basic adult fare is charged subject to minimum distance for charge.

Children below the age of 5 years are carried free in trains.

The additional earnings from passengers booked on child fare in the reserved class during the period of April 21, 2016 to March 20, 2017 is about Rs 228 crore more as compared to the same period the previous year.

PTI

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New Delhi: Plagued with complaints, Railways plan to provide fresh food cooked at base kitchens in trains after every two hours to the passengers.

Railways, which provides about 11 lakh meals to passengers every day, has separated cooking and distribution of food under the recently launched new catering policy.

“We have decided to provide good quality food to our passengers and for that we have decided to have base kitchens at several places so that fresh food can be picked up at every two-hours of travel,” Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said at the round table conference on catering here.

Participated by representatives from the food and beverage industry, self-help groups, senior IRCTC and railway officials, the round table conference aims to formulate a roadmap under the new catering policy to provide best catering service at rail premises.

Admitting complaints against food served in trains, Prabhu said, Whenever complaints come we always take prompt action. We had detailed discussion before formulating the policy and today we are having discussion for its smooth implementation.

Taking note of overcharging of food in trains, he said the issue will be taken up at the conference today. We have announced a new catering policy. There were many complaints against catering service. There were complaints against those who have got the catering responsibility under our earlier catering policy, he said.

Seeking participation of private players in food business for setting up base kitchens near stations, Prabhu said, We have decided how to provide good quality food to our passengers. So we decided to have base kitchens at many places across the country. The base kitchens will be mechanised kitchens with less human intervention. It can be done through PPP mode.

He said base kitchens will benefit passengers as fresh food can be picked up in trains in every two hours which even airlines cannot do. On the distribution front, Prabhu also sought participation of reputed caterers.

Delivery of food is important for an effective catering service. Delivery of fresh food in trains can also be done by reputed caterers with proper quality control mechanism, he added.

PTI

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Thiruvananthapuram: As part of its programme to upgrade facilities for rail users, Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said here today that 200 more stations and some additional trains would be providedwith Wi-Fi in 2017.

Dedicating six Wi-Fi facilities to rail users at Kannur, Ernakulam and Kollam at a function here, he said 100 stations had been fitted with Wi-Fi this year and the target was to double this number in 2017.

“More trains will also would be provided with Wi-Fi next year,” he said.

“The objective is to have Wi-Fi facility in all railway stations in small cities and towns,” he said.

The Minister said steps were also on to construct escalators in stations, he said.

Welcoming the Kerala government’s decision to sign a Joint Venture with Railways for development projects in the state, he said that as partners, the railways would be developed in the state.

“The Centre and state will have equity in the venture and funds for the projects will be raised through market borrowings with the consent of the state government,” he said.

The resources spent under the JV would be in addition to funds earmarked in the Railway budget, he added.

Stating that investment in railway infrastructure can bring development to its optimum level in Kerala, Prabhu said he had asked some banks to prepare a business plan for the state.

Prabhu admitted that there was a lack of railway investment in Kerala and saidthe NDA government’s move was to reverse that trend.

Referring to remittances to the state from Non-Resident Keralites, he said even they could invest in railway projects.

“They can develop a railway station”, he said, adding that the key objective was to join hands for development.

The Railways was also looking out for resources other than its normal revenue.

They were also looking into the possibility of coverting its hospitals as medical college hospitals, he said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and G Sudhakaran, PWD Minister and in charge of Railways were among those present.

PTI

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The key themes of the Budget were in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives – Swachch Bharat Mission, Make in India and Digital India.

1 The most-expected part about this year’s Railway Budget – there is no increase in passsenger rail fares.

2 Rs.8.5 lakh crore will be invested in Railways in next 5 years.

3 ‘Operation 5 mins’, wherein passengers travellling unreserved can purchase a ticket in 5 minutes.

4 Bio toilets and airplane-type vaccum toilets in trains.

5 Surveillance cameras in select coaches and ladies compartments for women’s safety without compromising on privacy.

6 Rail tickets can now be booked 120 days in advance.

7 Speed on nine railway corridors to go up to 200 km per hour.

8 Wi-Fi in more stations, mobile phone charging facilities in all train compartments.

9 Facility of online booking of wheelchair for senior citizens.

10 Satellite railway terminals in major cities.

11 Centrally managed Rail Display Network is expected to be introduced in over 2K stations over the next 2 years.

12 All india 24/7 helpline – 138 from March 2015 ; Toll free No.182 for security.

13 917 road under-bridges and over-bridges to be constructed to replace 3,438 railway crossings; at a cost of Rs. 6,581 crore.

14 Four Railway Research Centres to start in four universities.

15 Details about new trains and increased frequency will be announced later in this session of Parliament after review.

Source: TheHindu

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