With less than 48 hours to go for the Union Budget along with the merged Railway Budget for the year 2017-18, expectations are bound to rise. While most of the Railways Divisions under different zones have already sent their wish lists and demands by now, what actually makes it to the final budget will be revealed only on February 1.

Once again, there is a string of demands from activists, commuters and even various railway employees unions for more number of trains to have seamless connectivity, upgraded infrastructure, enhanced railway safety measures, more funds and new facilities on long distance trains.

Speaking with The Statesman, Sanjeev Dyamannavar, an expert on urban mobility issues and railways and a founding member of NGO Praja said, "Besides improving rail connectivity and introducing high-speed trains, the ministry should revise Suburban Rail Fares which were last increased in 2013. This will fetch income for Railways close to Rs.1,000 crore annually. Besides it will also help recover the cost of running suburban rail across the country. New Railway Terminal Building should be constructed at all state capitals in partnership with respective state govt on cost sharing basis. Besides, the ministry should set target for Non-Fare revenue to 30 per cent of the total railway income from passenger segment to offset the subsidy on passenger fares. This will help a great deal in improving the financial status of the railways".

The All India Railwaymen Federation (AIRMF) has put forth its demand of a non-lapsable safety fund besides a hike in allocation to the railway staff benefit fund, increases in staff allowances. Speaking with The Statesman, Shivgopal Mishra, General Secretary, of  AIRMF, said, "The ministry should fill up the vacant posts at the earliest as more than 1.5 lakh positions are vacant in the safety department itself across the country. Not filling these posts will be counterproductive for the safety of the passengers as well as others".

Similarly, the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen, has sought the allocation of additional funds for augmenting Railway Training Institutes, Railway community halls and recreation clubs. Separate rest rooms for women railway employees at different locations to enable them to stay when they visit on railway duties, and additional road mobile medical vans for providing medical treatment to   railway employees and their families living at remote places, are part of NFIR’s demands.

In the recent past, a spate of rail mishaps resulted in loss of more than 150 lives and over a hundred were injured. Consequently , the Ministry of Railways is likely to introduce a safety cess to provide the safety fund amounting to Rs. 1.2 lakh crore tentatively titled 'Rashtriya  Rail Sanraksha Kosh' . While this would put an additional burden on more than 20 million commuters who travel by trains every day at the same time, the fund will go a long way in ensuring greater safety of the commuting public.

While increase in fares is also not being ruled out, a senior officials in the Railways headquarters, on conditions of anonymity, said, "Increase in fares is no longer associated with the budget announcement and this has been proved in 2014 when fares were hiked after many months of the railway budget. If the ministry wants to hike fares, it can do the same anytime."

Also on the anvil is the creation of a Rail Development Authority, an independent agency which can recommend tariff changes periodically by taking into account all direct and indirect costs such as pension, debts and market-driven forces.