Fare cuts, more profits in Lalu Prasad’s fifth rail budget
New Delhi: With marginal cuts in freight and passenger fares and with a cash profit of Rs 25000 crore for this fiscal, Railways Minister Lalu Prasad presented his fifth budget Tuesday, adding another chapter to the dramatic turnaround story of the Indian Railways. Run-up to Budget 2008-09
Springing a surprise on 14 million passengers who travel by Indian trains every day, Lalu Prasad said that fares would be cut by five per cent in sleeper class, four per cent in AC II Class, three per cent in AC III Tier and seven per cent in AC I Class. Transportation of fuels would also cost five per cent less.
The minister also announced in the Lok Sabha 10 new ‘garib raths’ and 53 other new trains for the next fiscal. He said that for the first time tickets would have the expected time of arrival of trains to ensure punctuality.