13:12 pm : Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm.
13:10 pm : Sadananda Gowda ends Railway Budget with quote in Kannada. Says he has an open mind to any correction in the Rail Budget.
13:09 pm : Ruckus in parliament over non-allocation of more new trains.
13:07 pm : Mumbai to get more EMUs
New Trains: 5 Jansadharan, 5 Premium & 6 AC, 27 Express Trains, 8 Passenger, 5 DEMU & 2 MEMU services; 11 train extensions
Jansadharan Trains
i) Ahmedabad–Darbhanga Jansadharan Express via Surat
Ii Jaynagar–Mumbai Jansadharan Express
ii) Mumbai–Gorakhpur Jansadharan Express
iv) Saharasa–Anand Vihar Jansadharan Express via Motihari
v) Saharasa–Amritsar Jansadharan Express
Premium Trains
i) Mumbai Central–New Delhi Premium AC Express
ii) Shalimar–Chennai Premium AC Express
iii) Secunderabad- Hazrat Nizamuddin Premium AC Express 6
iv) Jaipur–Madurai Premium Express
v) Kamakhya–Bengaluru Premium Express
13:05 pm : Shalimar-Chennai premium AC express, Kamakhya-Chennai premium express, Mumabi-Jaipur Preium Experss to be launched.
13:04 pm : Jan Sadharan group of trains, Premium group of trains to be expanded.
13:03 pm : In twin states of AP and Telangana, committee already set up of railways and state govt.
13:02 pm : Holistic approach to urban transport is required. Passenger-centric focus will be given for urban transport.
New trains: Special trains for Melmaruvathur, Velankanni. >#THRailBudget>http://t.co/ZthfAxpdGv
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) >July 8, 2014
13:01 pm : 18 new line surveys, 10 surveys for doubling 3rd & 4th lines and gauge conversion.
13:00 pm : Experimental stoppages to continue till September 2014. It will be reviewed.
12:59 pm : Dedicated freight corridors to be closely monitored.
12:58 pm : e-ticketing to support 7200 users per minute.
12:57 pm : 23 projects underway in north-east. Rs. 5,100 crore for northeast projects.
12:56 pm : Strategic procurement policy to make procurements transparent.
Railways plans to increase speed of trains to 160 to 200 km per hour in nine select sectors.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) >July 8, 2014
12:55 pm : Five percent of fuel usage to come from bio-diesel.
12:54 pm : Special milk tanker trains to be introduced.
12:53 pm : Temperature control storages for fruits and vegetables at 10 locations.
12:52 pm : Parcel traffic has huge potential. Parcel trains to be launched.
12:51 pm : Automatic rebate for customers offering return freight traffic.
12:50 pm : Proposes to modernise logistics operations.
12:49 pm : Resource mobilisation through leveraging PSU resources, Foreign Direct Investment and Public Private Participation. Status of on-going projects to be made available online.
12:48 pm : Wifi in A1 and A category stations & in select trains
12:47 pm : Summer internship for engineering students in Railways.
12:46 pm : Delhi-Agra, Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Kanpur, Nagpur-Bilaspur, Mysore-Bangalore-Chennai, Goa-Mumbai, Chennai-Hyderabad and Nagpur-Secunderabad, Mumbai-Ahmedabad identified for HSR.
12:45 pm : Diamond Quadrilateral network to connect major metros through High Speed Rails. Rs. 100 crore for high speed project.
12:44 pm: Railway Minister announces Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train.
12:43 pm : Are you all pleased by my Budget, asks Mr. Gowda.
12:42 pm : AC in loco-cabins.
>#RailBudget2014 E-ticketing system will be improved to support 7200 tickets per minute as against 2000 tickets at present.
— PIB India (@PIB_India) >July 8, 2014
12:41 pm : Ticket booking through post offices, mobile phones to be expanded. Platform and unreserved tickets also can be bought through internet.
12:40 pm : Special train on Swami Vivekananda.
12:39 pm : Eco-tourism in north-east. Sikh-circuit, Christian-circuits have been identified.
12: 38 pm : 70,000 RPF constables recruited to ensure security in stations. 4,000 women RPF constables to escort women-only coaches.
Women RPF constables to oversee women-only coaches to make travel for women safer: Gowda >#THRailBudget>http://t.co/ZthfAxpdGv
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) >July 8, 2014
12:37 pm : Ultra-sonic rail breakage detection system to be launched as a pilot project.
12:36 pm : Power of sanctioning to be de-centralised.
12:35 pm : RO drinking water units in trains and stations.
12:34 pm : Mechanised laundry to be introduced.
12:33 pm : Outsourced cleaning activities in 50 stations. Upto 40 per cent hike in allocation for cleanliness.
>#RailBudget2014 The Minister highlights initiatives required to get Railways back on track. There will be a near Plan-holiday approach.
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) >July 8, 2014
12:32 pm : Feedback on food will be collected from passengers through IVRS.
12:31 pm : Ready-to-eat meals of reputed brands to be served in trains.
12:30 pm : Workstations at select trains on pilot basis for a payment.
12:29 pm : Battery-operated cars for differently-abled at all major stations.
12:28 pm : Total earnings at Rs. 1.64 Lakh Crore in 2014-15.
12:27 pm : FinMin has granted additional capital of Rs. 1100 core and Rs. 273 crore as Railway share.
>#RailBudget2014 Surplus revenues declining. Hardly any resources for development works. Rs.5 Lakh Cr required for ongoing projects alone.
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) >July 8, 2014
12:26 pm : Passenger fares will be periodically raised as per new tariff policy linked to fuel price.
12:25 pm : Small growth in passenger and freight traffic expected in the coming year.
12:25 pm: Indian Railways spent Rs 41,000 crore on laying of 3,700 km of new lines in last 10 years.
12:24 pm : Last year's surplus was over Rs. 3000 crore.
12:24 pm : Gross traffic receipts in 2013—14 was Rs 12,35,558 crore; operating ratio was 94 per cent
The Tariff Policy adopted lacked rational approach. Loss per passenger/km increased from 10 paisa/km (2000-01) to 23 paisa/km (2012-13)
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) >July 8, 2014
12:23 pm : Social obligation of Railways in 2013—14 was Rs 20,000 crore
12:21 pm : FDI to be open up in Railways. Cabinet approval sought.
12:20 pm : Leveraging Railway PSU resources.
12:19 pm : We need immediate course correction. Fare revision was one: Gowda. Fare revision will bring Rs 8,000 crores.
12:18 pm : Railways Ministry flooded with requests for new trains.
The Minister highlights the challenges faced by Railways. It is expected to earn like a commercial enterprise, but serve like a welfare org.
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) >July 8, 2014
12:17 pm : Doubing, tripling is Railways' first priority. Construction of new lines is the second.
12:16 pm : Of those projects sanctioned in 10 years, only one project was completed.
12:15 pm : Railways had been increasing freight fare to compensate the loss from passenger fare, As a result freight load decreased.
12:14 pm : Railways is operating at a ratio of 94 per cent.
12:13 pm : Mr. Gowda proposes Rs. 11, 790 crore market borrowing.
12:12 pm : Railways carries only 31 per cent of freight carried by all modes.
12:11 pm : Railways targetting to be the largest freight carrier in the world, says Sadananda Gowda.
12:10 pm : 23 million passengers travel in 12,500 trains daily.
12:09 pm : Sadananda Gowda quotes Kautilya.
Sadananda Gowda quotes Kautilya: "In the happiness of the people, lies the ruler's happiness." >#THRailBudget>http://t.co/ZthfAxpdGv
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) >July 8, 2014
12:07 pm : Grateful to PM Narendra Modi for reposing faith in me to lead Indian Railways, Mr. Gowda.
12:02 pm : Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda in the Lok Sabha.
12:01 pm : Editorial: >Biting the bullet
12:00 noon : Question Hour is over, declares Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Coming up next is Railway Budget.
11:59 am : Stocks of companies related to railways sector fell as much as 8 per cent in morning trade today due to profit-booking ahead of the Railway Budget to be presented shortly.
11:57 am : MPs resume to their seats as Home Minister responds.
11:52 am : Ruckus in Lok Sabha during Question Hour as an MP raises the issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh.
11:51 am : Railway Budget is expected to begin in five minutes.
11:47 am : In the interim budget, Mallikarjuna Kharge, the then railway minister, had set a revenue target of Rs.1.65 lakh crore.
11:38 am : The new government has already increased railway passenger fares by 14.2 per cent and the freight carriage charges by 6.5 per cent. > Full story...
11:36 am : The Railway Ministry is saddled with a huge cash crunch of Rs.26,000 crore amid a decline in the growth in passenger earnings.
11:33 am : Even though Indian Railways carried the largest number of passengers and freight, it stood much behind in efficiency, punctuality, cleanliness and services, says the Railway Minister before presenting the Rail Budget. > Full story...
11:26 am : Railway Budget is expected to be presented in the parliament at 12 noon.
11:24 am : While the Narendra Modi government has hinted more foreign direct investment in various sectors, including Railways, Home Ministry has showed the >red flag to a Commerce Ministry note on allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in the railways.
11:12 am : Railway Ministry has made arrangements for people to hear the Railway Budget updates. Call 022-4501 5555 for live budget updates.
11:09 am : D.V. Sadananda Gowda arrives at the parliament along with his junior minister Manoj Sinha.
11:04 am : Railway Budget will be presented after the Question Hour.
11:03 am : Question Hour begins in Lok Sabha.
11:02 am : Congress Floor Leader Mallikarjuna Kharge seeks debate on price rise. Speaker rejects it. Assures him that price rise will be disscussed in the afternoon.
11:00 am : Lok Sabha session begins. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is in the Chair.
10:46 am : > Northern Kerala pins its hopes on Kaniyooru rail line
10:44 am : Notwithstanding the popular demand for additional services, the Railway Board has taken a pragmatic view of ground realities before sanctioning a project. > Full story...
Congress sources say that party will not disrupt >#RailBudget if Speaker gives assurance of discussion on price rise & LoP status to Congress
— ANI (@ANI_news) >July 8, 2014
10:34 am : Mr. Gowda gets support from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. “Since Mr. Gowda is from Karnataka, he knows what the people here need. I am optimistic of getting a good budget,” he said on Monday.
10:28 am : “Train is the symbol of reliable service as it operates day and night throughout the year. I want to be like this,” Mr. Gowda had said after he was sworn-in as the Railway Minister. Full story: > Sadananda to present report card on his performance after five years
10:26 am : The long-standing demand for laying the >Kanhangad-Kaniyoor rail line that would provide easy access from north Kerala to Bangalore is expected to get a major boost in this Railway Budget.
10:25 am : Against the backdrop of the >Gorakdham train mishap, which claimed 25 lives, Mr. Gowda had said safety was an “important” issue for railways, which has to be taken care of.
10:21 am : Did you know Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda began his career as a lawyer? > Sadananda Gowda: A steady rise through party ranks
10:20 am : We asked the twitterati what they expect from the Railway Budget. This is what they want. > Full story...
10:19 am : Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha Member Nalin Kumar Kateel hopes the Railway Budget 2014-15 to be presented on July 8 would create an environment to facilitate creation of a separate Railway Division for Mangalore. > Full story...
10:17 am : Railway Ministry is likely to propose installation of X-ray systems along the tracks to detect faulty parts in trains in the Railway Budget among a series of steps to enhance safety measures for passengers. > Full story...
10:15 am : A peninsular railway zone with headquarters in Kerala figures as the top priority item in the critical railway projects taken up by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda. > Full Story...
10:13 am : >Gowda’s railway budget to focus on speed, safety
09:58 am : As part of Narendra Modi government's initiative to reach out to people via social media, the Railway Ministry created Twitter, Facebook and YouTube handles. > Full story...
Going to present my maiden budget as a >@RailMinIndia minister today. Hope we are able to meet public expectations.
— Sadananda Gowda (@DVSBJP) >July 8, 2014
09:56 am : Tweet to >@the_hindu using the hashtag #THRailBudget with your expectations of this Railway Budget. Get featured >here.
09:54 am : Sensex hits new high of 26,190.44 ahead of Railway Budget.
09:36 am : Topping the agenda will be high speed trains.The new Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda’s speech will indicate how funds will be raised for this highly capital intensive endeavour and was the main factor for the previous Government’s low key approach to the issue.
09:34 am: With the rail fares already hiked, the stage is now set for the Rail Budget on Tuesday to unveil through a mix of symbolism and policy announcements, the Modi Government’s trajectory for the future of the railways.
09:32 am: Welcome to The Hindu 's live coverage on the railway budget for the year 2014-15.