Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu proposed a spate of measures aimed at revamping the world’s fourth-largest rail network. Improving customer experience and safe travel were high on the budget speech agenda. In sync with PM Modi’s Swacch Bharat, Swacch Rail campaign was announced with a guarantee of ‘highest standard of cleanliness’.

Here’s all that you need to know about the Railway Budget 2015-16:

1. No increase in passenger fares; No new trains introduced.

Source: thehindubusinessline.com

2. Tickets can now be booked 4 months in advance.

Source: financialexpress.com

3. CCTV cameras in women’s coaches and railway stations to ensure women’s safety; Nirbhaya fund allocation to be used for making train travel safe.

Source: Sacbee.com

4. Online booking of wheelchairs at stations for elderly, sick and differently-abled.

Source: Svayam.wordpress.com

5. Making railways differently-abled friendly by introducing more escalators. A special initiative is being launched whereby they can purchase concessional e-tickets after one-time registration.

Source: The Hindu

6. Open WiFi at 400 major stations across India.

Source: irctc.blogspot.com

7. Vacuum toilets to be introduced. 17000 bio-toilets to replace the existing ones.

Source: scriptures.ru

8. 24×7 national helpline 138 for addressing passenger inquiries and problems; Mobile app for complaints.

Source: The Hindu

9. Train protection warning system, train collision avoidance systems to be installed to prevent accidents.

Source: News.com.au

10. Multilingual e-ticketing to be enabled.

Source: Youtube

11. ‘Operation Five Minutes’ to ensure that a passenger travelling unreserved can purchase a ticket within five minutes via modified ‘hot-buttons’, coin vending machines and ‘single destination teller’.

Source: msn.com

12. SMS alerts for train arrival and departure of train timings.

Source: Indianrailways.gov.in

13. Increase mobile phone charging facility in sleeper and general coaches.

Source: pnrstatus.co.in

14. Train meal booking will now be made available on IRCTC.

Source: indiatvnews.com

15. Water vending machines to be made available. Solar power sourcing, water recycling plants to be set-up.

Source: The Hindu

Indian Railways employs 1.4 million people, which is more than the entire population of Mauritius! And that is why the railway network needs a thorough revamping — it affects the second largest population in the world.