Rail Budget 2019 Expectations: New Trains, Bullet Train Project, Change in Ticket Prices - Here's What Can be Expected As Nirmala Sitharaman Presents Maiden Budget on July 5

New Delhi, June 29: The government is all set to present the Union Budget 2019-20 on July 5 at 11 AM. The Rail Budget 2019 will also be presented on the same day as the government had scrapped the 92-year-old practice of presenting rail budgets and general budgets separately in  September 2016. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the first budget of the Modi 2.0 government.  Expectations from the budget are quite high as Prime Minister Narendra Modi government enters its second term. Union Budget 2019: 'Halwa Ceremony' Held at Finance Ministry Ahead of Printing Budget Documents.

The Rail Budget 2019 is likely to announce the introduction of new trains, more fund allocations for railway infrastructure,  passenger amenities, safety  and modernisation of Indian Railways and fund release for other major initiatives towards improvement in passenger amenities and cleanliness in trains.

Here's What Can be Expected From the Rail Budget 2019-20:

1. The Rail Budget is believed to pave way for the introduction of semi high-speed trains like Vande Bharat Express or Talgo-like trains on more routes across the country.
2. Reports inform that the rail budget may also open the railways for private sector investment in areas such as station development, running premium trains for common use etc.
3. The rail budget 2019-20 may allocate more funds for metro systems in non-metros.
4. Change in ticket prices is unlikely this year. No change in ticket pricing is one of the big expectations from this year's rail budget. People are expecting that there will be no hike in ticketing this year.
5. More passenger-friendly amenities are expected from the rail budget this year. Going by the initiatives by railways in 2018, expectation are high that the rail budget will include other such amenities.  Last year, facilities ranging from free WiFi facility to provisions of facilities for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) at all stations, were announced. Also, Rail Madad app, Menu on Rails app, live streaming of IRCTC kitchens were introduced.
6. On February 1 this year, the interim budget for the year 2019-20 was presented by then Finance Minister Piyush Goyal. In the Interim Budget 2019, Indian Railways saw an allocation of Rs. 64,587 crore and capital expenditure of Rs. 1.58 lakh.  Reports inform that the capital support from the Budget for the railways was proposed at Rs. 64,587 crore in 2019-20.
7. In the interim rail budget, funds worth Rs. 7,255 crore were allocated for construction of new lines and Rs 2,200 crore for gauge conversion. Meanwhile, Rs 700 crore for track doubling, Rs. 6,114.82 crore for rolling stock and Rs. 1,750 crore for signalling and telecom.

On Friday, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said twenty-four train sets have been planned for procurement from Japan for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed project. While replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Goyal said the estimated total cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project, including the cost of rolling stock, is Rs 1,08,000 crore, out of which 81% price will be funded through the loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The Union Budget for 2019-20 will be presented in the Lok Sabha July 5, 2019. After the presentation of the Budget, the respective Houses will be adjourned for the day.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 29, 2019 02:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).