India to run bullet trains, says Lalu

June 2nd, 2009 PATNA - Following the incidents of torching of trains in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday had a verbal duel with former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and accused his decision of introducing numerous halts in the state as the main reason behind the violence. "The Railways, in the previous government, functioned in Lalu's style.

June 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The railways ministry will carry forward the projects taken up by the former minister, Lalu Prasad, including the ambitious bullet train proposal, Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa said here Monday.

May 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad today said he would lend unconditional support to the UPA Government. After attending a meeting of the Union Cabinet, Lalu said he is ready to offer unconditional support to the government.

May 16th, 2009 PATNA - Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday lost the polls in Pataliputra, but managed to defeat the BJP's candidate Rudy Pratap Singh at Saran. Lalu was initially trailing behind Saran in the votes tally.

February 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Living up to his promise of easing the burden of average train passengers, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Friday cut fares by two percent, introduced 43 new trains and said feasibility studies on starting 'bullet trains' in the country were progressing well. Presenting the interim rail budget for 2009-10 in parliament, Lalu Prasad also announced the extension of 14 trains, an increase in the frequency of 14 others, apart earmarking a higher plan outlay of Rs.379.05 billion (Rs.37,905 crore/$7.75 billion) towards expansion next fiscal.

February 12th, 2009 PATNA - It was like the festivals of Holi and Diwali being celebrated together on the streets of Patna as hundreds of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers smeared colour on each other and burst firecrackers to hail the interim Railway Budget presented by party chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in parliament Friday. The RJD chief's supporters, mostly workers and leaders of the party, also took out celebratory marches to the accompaniment of drums, shouted his praise and danced on the streets to popular tunes.

February 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Following are the highlights of the interim rail budget for next fiscal presented by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in Lok Sabha Friday: * Two percent reduction in fares for virtually all classes * Feasibility studies progressing well to start 'bullet trains' in India * Plan outlay for 2009-10 kept at Rs.379.05 billion (Rs.37,905 crore) * Railways will create record surplus of Rs.900 billion (Rs.90,000 crore) this fiscal * Rs.700 billion (Rs.70,000 crore) surplus ploughed back to improve efficiency * In past five years, no burden imposed on train passengers * Railways saw 14 percent rise in passenger income * Railways managed 8 percent growth in freight loading in five years * But freight down in current year due to economic downturn * Revised freight earnings for this fiscal to Rs.542.93 billion (Rs.54,293 crore) * Freight loading target retained at 850 million tonnes * Estimated freight earnings for next fiscal pegged at Rs.590.59 billion (Rs.59,059 crore) * Drop in train accidents, railway safety enhanced * Rs.367.73 billion (Rs.36,773 crore) spent this fiscal toward productivity, passenger facilities * Railways to introduce wagons with higher capacity * Railways to spend Rs.230 billion (Rs.23,000 crore) in 2009-10 * Work has started on Delhi-Mumbai dedicated freight corridor * Dedicated freight corridor from Ludhiana to Kolkata to be inaugurated later this month * Kolkata Metro will be expanded * 43 new train services to be started in 2009-10 * Frequencies of 14 trains enhanced * Frequencies of several trains across the country increased to daily service * Extension of 14 trains envisaged * Passenger volume likely to grow by around 7 percent over previous year * Steps to have railway connectivity to Kashmir initiated * Railways have set up four call centres

February 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Following are the highlights of the interim rail budget for next fiscal presented by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in Lok Sabha Friday: * Two percent reduction in fares for virtually all classes * Feasibility studies progressing well to start 'bullet trains' in India * Railways will create record surplus of Rs.900 billion (Rs.90,000 crore) this fiscal * In past five years, no burden imposed on train passengers * Railways saw 14 percent rise in passenger income * Railways managed 8 percent growth in freight loading in five years * But freight down in current year due to economic downturn * Drop in train accidents, railway safety enhanced * Rs.700 billion (Rs.70,000 crore) surplus ploughed back to improve efficiency * Rs.367.73 billion (Rs.36,773 crore) spent this fiscal toward productivity, passenger facilities * Railways to introduce wagons with higher capacity * Railways to spend Rs.230 billion (Rs.23,000 crore) in 2009-10 * Work has started on Delhi-Mumbai dedicated freight corridor * Dedicated freight corridor from Ludhiana to Kolkata to be inaugurated later this month * Kolkata Metro will be expanded * Frequencies of a host of trains enhanced * Frequencies of several trains across the country increased to daily service * Steps to have railway connectivity to Kashmir initiated * Railways have set up four call centres

February 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Minister for Railways Lalu Prasad is set to present to parliament the country's interim rail budget for the next fiscal Friday, with an assurance that he will not ignore people's welfare and that average citizens will be spared a fare hike. 'We cannot make many new programmes in this budget, but be assured the welfare of common people will be taken care of.

February 12th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan Friday said he is disappointed with the interim rail budget for 2009-10 presented by Railways Minister Lalu Prasad in parliament.

February 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railways Minister Lalu Prasad is set to present the country's interim rail budget for the next fiscal in parliament Friday, with an expectation that he would once again spare the average citizen from fare hikes and introduce some new trains. The minister had presented all the five previous rail budgets for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government since 2004, during which he set a record of sorts in terms of generating revenues despite lowering fares.

January 31st, 2009 PATNA - Railways Minister Lalu Prasad is set to gift his home district, Gopalganj in Bihar, a railway division before the next Lok Sabha polls. After Lalu Prasad's ancestral village Phulwaria is connected with his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi's Salar Kalan village, Lalu now plans to give another rare gift to Bihar by announcing the establishment of a railway division in Thawe at Gopalganj.

January 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Enthused by an exhilarating ride on a Japanese high-speed train last week during his visit to Japan, Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Monday said India would soon have similar bullet trains on selective routes and that his ministry would start scouting for global consultants. 'The day is not far off when the bullet train will run in the country,' Lalu Prasad told reporters here.

January 16th, 2009 SINGAPORE - Flush from his exhilarating ride on a Japanese high-speed train, Indian Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said Saturday that he plans to introduce bullet trains to link major metropolitan cities in India. 'Such bullet trains can link city to city.

January 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is on a seven-day visit to Japan, Tuesday took a ride on the Bullet Train in Tokyo to get a first hand experience of what the Japanese call Shinkansen high-speed trains. The minister along with Railway board Chairman K.C.