Prabhu presents Rail Budget, passenger fare not hiked

Presenting the budget,Prabhu said 2,800 km of new tracks will be commissioned  next year.

The Minister said 17,000 bio-toilets and additional toilets to be provided by end of this fiscal year.

He said railway electrification will be hiked by 50 per cent to 2,000 km route during FY17.

The Minister said the Ministry of Railways have suffered Rs.  30,000 crore loss on subsidising passenger fares during 2015-16 financial year.

Prabhu said Rs. 1.21 lakh crore will be spent on capital expenditure by the railways in the 2016-17.

Prabhu said Railways will introduce Wi-Fi services in 100 new stations this year.

He announced that in the upcoming days facility will  be provided to passengers so that they can request the cleaning of coaches through SMS.

Prabhu arrived in Parliament with the budget with his junior minister and posed for mediapersons with the suitcases with the budget papers.

Amid speculations if the fares would be hiked, Junior Rail Minister Manoj Sinha earlier said: "This is the budget to transform the Indian Railways. You have to wait for some time."