The Railway Minister announced Government’s resolve to make Indian Railways a globally benchmark organization in safety, security and infrastructure. Other highlights included that there is no increase in rail fares; however, a 10 per cent hike in freight rates of core commodities of coal, steel, cement etc. will be there, to have a cascading effect on consumer price index. Drastic lower prices of high speed Diesel of the order of Rs.14 per litre has not figured in reducing passenger fares in terms of official policy of Fuel Adjustment Costs.

Other takeaways are investment of Rs.8.5 lakh crore in railways in next five years, ‘Operation 5 Minute’ for passengers travelling unreserved for purchasing a ticket in five minutes, bio-toilets and airplane-type vacuum toilets in trains, surveillance cameras in select coaches and ladies compartments for women’s safety without compromising on privacy, extension of booking of advance tickets to 120 days, increase of speed to 200 kilometre per hour on nine high speed corridors, Wi-Fi in more stations,, mobile phone charging facilities in all compartments, facilities of online booking of wheel chair for senior citizens, satellite railway terminals in major cities, introduction of Centrally managed Rail Display Network in over 2000 stations over the next two years, all India 24/7 helpline - 138 from March 2015; Toll-free No.128 for security, starting four Railway Research Centres in four universities, and announcement of new trains and increased frequency later in this session of Parliament after review.

The rail budget 2015-16 appears to be a trap for pawning Indian Railways to debt trap for such a massive resource mobilization from market sources through IRFC, PPP module and multilateral funding despite the fact that private sector is wary to invest in high capital intensive railways with prospects of little or no returns. It is also forward looking budget on paper only making it high on rhetorics and low on ground reality! It’s a march to privatization of Indian Railways!