Living up to his promise of presenting a people-friendly Rail Budget, with one eye on the general elections to be held due next year, Indian Railways Minister Lalu Prasad tabled a populist budget in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

So keeping the common man in mind, the railway minister has cut passenger fares. He announced a cut of 5% in second class sleeper class train fare; AC-1 train fare down by 7%, AC-2 tier fares down 4%, AC-3 tier fares down by 3%./

Freight rates cut by 5% on petrol and diesel. This could lead to curbing the rising menace of inflation.

Presenting his fifth Rail Budget, Lalu addressed complaints relating to rail services and said that better catering and amenities will be provided to rail passengers.

He announced more facilities for women and old passengers.

He also said that 53 new trains will be started in the coming year, apart from 10 new 'Garib Raths,' which are low-cost fully air-conditioned trains.

Lalu Prasad said that the Railways had set up new profit records in 2007-08 attaining a profit of Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion) . Railways profited due to the UPA government's policies, he said.

Middle-level and low-level platforms to be upgraded to high-level platforms in several stations to help commuters.

Doubling of lines to be given priority.

Middle-level and low-level platforms to be upgraded to high-level platforms in several stations to help commuters.

Doubling of lines to be given priority.

Professional agencies being involved on a pilot basis to ensure cleanliness in running trains.

Railways has set aside a budget for modernization in the coming year, he said.

Work on automatic signalling to start in new sections.

Touch screens at stations across the country.

Special benefits for porters, gangmen. Gangmen will man level railway crossings. Licenced porters to be absorbed as Class IV employees.

Railways planning smart card-based ticketing system.

Railways to bring in led displays in stations on train arrivals/ departures.

Electrification of more rail routes.

Concession from 30-50% in passenger fares in all classes for woman senior citizen.

Free monthly season tickets for girl students up to graduation, boy students up to 12^th standard.

Mother Child Health Express to be started.

50% concession for AIDS patients.

Stainless steel coaches for mail and express trains.

Cleanliness drive on Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains.

CCTvs at all important stations

Modular toilets to be introduced in trains.

'Go Mumbai' card to be sold at bus depots.

Railways to provide escalators at 50 per cent of the stations in the country.

6,000 automatic ticket sale machines to be put up in 2 years.

Railways to talk to foreign companies to design new wagons.

By 2010, all coaches will be made of steel.

No ticket queues in 2 years, predicts Lalu.

Railway tickets to show 'expected time of arrival.'

Railways will also issue wait-listed e-tickets.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav announced that Indian Railways will offer hi-tech services on board and promised television and Internet in trains, and LCD display boards at railway stations.

Bomb detecting equipment to be installed at major stations.

Metal detectors and baggage scanner to be installed and at major stations.

Railways to link all call centres by 2009 for better coordination and monitoring

16,548 tracks to be renewed.

Route of 16 trains to be extended.

Special train between Delhi and Pune for Commonwealth Games.

560 railway station-platforms to be lengthened to be able to accommodate long trains.

Middle-level and low-level platforms to be upgraded to high-level platforms in several stations to help commuters.

Railways show a surplus of Rs 68,778 crore (Rs 687.78 billion) in the last four years.

Private companies should be allowed to make terminals on railway land, proposes Lalu.

Clearance given for western freight corridor from Delhi to JNPT, Nhava Sheva, adjoining Mumbai.

E-ticket booking is likely to rise to 300,000 from 100,000 in a year, he said.

Rail travel for Ashok Chakra winners in Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains to be free.

Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains to get more coaches.

Express trains to have public address system.

Northern railway main hospital in Delhi will be fully airconditioned. Divisional railway hospitals in Jaipur and Hubli will be upgraded.

Railways to acquire land for its projects on the lines of National Highways Authority of India.

A new rail coach unit to be set up in Kerala.

Kerala has offered 1000 acres of land for rail coach factory free of cost.

Foot overbridges at all high-level platforms.

The railway minister said that operating ratio of the Railways was at 76% and that Rs 49,250 crore (Rs 492.50 billion) invested into new railway projects.

Railway plan size increased from Rs 11,000 crore (Rs 110 billion) to Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion) in the last four years.

Productivity of Railway assets has been constantly increasing, Lalu said. Number of passenger trains were increased in the peak season. Railways attained 790 tonne payload target in the year 2007-08, he said.

Everybody is happy with our performance, said Lalu. He also added that the Railways had done tremendous work in the year 2007-08.

Freight loading estimated to increase from 650 mt to 1100 mt by 2011

New policy for wagon leasing.

New line for Ennore Power Station.

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