"The modernised automation of the signalling system aims to enhance safety and speed up train movement in a congested network," a senior Railway Ministry official said.

​Complete modernisation of Indian Railways' entire signalling system, including automation, at a whopping cost of Rs 78,000 crore is likely to get the nod among other safety measures in the forthcoming budget.
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The Railways, which is likely to get Rs 65,000 crore as gross budgetary support (GBS) this time, an increase of Rs 10,000 crore from the last one, is going ahead full throttle to generate funds from internal resources and also from the market to meet the huge requirement for infrastructure development and safety-enhancement measures.

Though the budget for 2018-19 will reflect an attempt to reduce working expenses in the next fiscal, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal is leaving no stone unturned to replace the age-old tracks and upgrade signals as part of the national transporter's safety requirements.

"The modernised automation of the signalling system aims to enhance safety and speed up train movement in a congested network," a senior Railway Ministry official said.

Safety and passenger amenities are likely to get top billing in the rail budget -- merged with the general budget since the last fiscal -- when Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presents the budget for 2018-19 on February 1. This will be the government's last full budget ahead of the 2019 general election.

Replacement of the existing signalling network with a state-of-the-art system, proliferation of electronic interlocking systems, introduction of the European Train Control System Level-2 and mobile train radio communication systems are part of the upgradation agenda of the Railways, which has drawn up a detailed plan to change the system over the next five years.

Investment in the rail sector is crucial to step up the country's growth momentum.

While the Rashtriya Rail Sanrakshya Kosh of Rs 1 lakh crore, created in the last budget, will continue to roll out Rs 20,000 crore in the next fiscal, the safety-enhancement measures are likely to get a further boost in this budget with the signalling automation move.

Laying of new lines, gauge conversion and doublings, besides massive electrification, will continue to be part of the budget.

The budget will be presented amid rising global crude oil prices and dipping of goods and services tax (GST) collections.

However, the government is likely to stick to its fiscal consolidation agenda and measures to curb the fiscal deficit, even as the middle class expects it to lighten the tax burden.

While 600 stations are targeted to be provided with the Wi-FI facility by March 2018, the Railways aim to cover all 8,500 stations by March 2019.

All railway stations -- nearly 8,500 across the country, including those in rural and remote areas -- will be equipped with Wi-Fi facilities at an estimated cost of Rs 700 crore ($110 million).
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As part of the government's ambitious Digital India initiative, the national transporter has currently commissioned Wi-Fi services at 216 major stations enabling about seven million rail passengers to log on to the free Internet facility.

"Internet access has now become an important requirement in day-to-day working and we shall be providing this facility at all railway stations in the country," a senior Railway Ministry official said.

As per the plan finalised at a recent meeting, while 1,200 stations have been identified for this facility to primarily cater to rail passengers, about 7,300 stations have been earmarked to not only serve passengers but also local people in rural and remote areas.

The Wi-FI facility at these stations in rural and remote areas will be offered to the local population as part of the digital makeover of rural India to promote e-governance.

Railway stations in rural areas will have kiosks with Wi-FI that will become digital hot spots offering services like digital banking, Aadhaar generation, issuing government certificates, including birth and death certificates, and filing taxes and paying bills, among others.

The kiosks will also enable the local populace to order and receive goods from e-commerce portals.

"These kiosks will be operated at stations with private participation for the local population," said the official, adding, "The modalities of setting up such digital hot spots are being worked out with the Telecom Ministry."

As per the timeline, while 600 stations are targeted to be provided with the Wi-FI facility by March 2018, the Railways aim to cover all 8,500 stations by March 2019.

Our aim is to ensure that more and more people get connected to the rail Wi-FI system as the Wi-Fi broadband access to these rail users will aid in implementing the government's Digital India initiative, he said.

Railway tickets are likely to get cheaper as the government is trying to do away with MDR or merchant discount rates levied on e-tickets. MDR charges are applied on tickets that passengers book online through the IRCTC website. The MDR charges are imposed by banks on the merchant for providing debit and credit card services. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal mentioned that talks are underway with banks to resolve this issue of MDR.
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In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Goyal said, "Railways used to charge a service charge. Post demonetisation they removed that service charge and we saw digital transactions really shoot up. Now the only charge that is charges is the merchant discount rate (MDR). I am now engaged with bankers to see what we can do about that MDR also."

Once the MDR charges are done away with, ticket prices would automatically fall for passengers booking though the online portal.

Goyal, who spoke at the India Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum on Thursday also mentioned that a million jobs can be created in the railways ecosystem in less than 12 months. He further added that if they use the amount of investment in the pipeline, they can create 2 to 2.5 lakh jobs in the existing projects alone.
The minister further added that the government is trying to change the growth narrative by making it more technologically driven. Goyal further added that a change can only be brought about by empowering people and cutting through bureaucracy.