NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways is expecting increased budgetary allocations for projects and modernization works in the forthcoming budget.
The announcement of new trains, including new Vande Bharat and Hydrogen-powered passenger trains, are likely in the upcoming annual budget for 2023-24.
According to sources, the Modi government is working to increase the railway budget by 20-25 percent to boost the infrastructure of the entire railway system.
The government may also announce more than 400 new rakes of semi-high speed Vande Bharat trains and over three dozen Hydrogen-powered passenger trains. Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the annual budget on Feb 1, which will also include the budget allocation for the railways for 2023-24.
“It is likely that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may announce the Hydrogen-powered trains in his address to the nation on August 15 in 2023, besides highlighting the Indian Railway’s recent achievements," the source said.
The railway hopes to get strong budget support for developing stations and electrifying remaining rail routes to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.
As part of the budget, the Indian Railways also aims to seek the government's nod to meet its target of replacing conventional coaches of all express and mail trains with Indian-made and German-developed LHB coaches.
“There is an immediate target of manufacturing at least 5,000 LHB coaches and more than 60,000 wagons in the next few years as part of increasing the rolling stock. We hope that financial support will come to us for manufacturing around 1000 Vista dome coaches and other specially-designed wagons for automobile carriers as part of Rolling Stock Programme 2023-24,” said an official.
To install a new air purifying system, like one that has been installed in the coaches of Vande Bharat trains, in mail and express trains, the railways need strong budgetary support this year also. If the announcement for running 400 new Vande Bharat is made this time again in the budget, the Indian railways will require at least 65000-70000 coaches with ultra-modern facilities for the Vande Bharat trains.
“The railways spend around Rs 6.6 crore on the manufacturing of one coach of the Vande Bharat train. So, one can roughly estimate the total cost incurred on rolling out the second fleet of 400 new Vande Bharat trains in the next 4-5 years. A whopping fund of more than Rs 70000 crore would be needed “, said a railway source.
The Modi government may also announce the Hyperloop train project as part of a high-speed rail corridor in addition to the ongoing bullet train project.