Thrust of Railway Budget this year is on modernisation

Some of these steps for improving the efficiency of the system that will ultimately benefit railway customers are:-

• Based on the success of the pilot project of SIMRAN, jointly developed by IIT, Kanpur and RDSO, a Real Time Train Information System (RTIS) will provide reliable information on train running.
• Collaboration with Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur for using jute geo-textiles in embankment design.
• A project with IIT, Chennai on prototype manufacture of ultrasonic systems.
• Partnership with Jadavpur University for development of new designs for rail steel bridges.
• A collaborative study with IIT, Mumbai on the problem of corrosion of rails.
• The Centre for Railway Research (CRR), collaboration between IIT, Kharagpur and RDSO, has been sanctioned and is under implementation.
• Centres of Excellence for development and prototyping various types of Mechatronics systems at RCF/Kapurthala and DMW/Patiala;
• E-procurement and e-auction to ensure transparency and economy.
• Development of a comprehensive web-based databank for land and asset management database for optimum utilization of our resources.
• Issuing paperless railway receipts.
• Extend web based system of allotment of iron ore rakes to coal traffic.
• Run double-stack container trains from Gujarat ports to the major ICD at Gurgaon.

Source: http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/RailBudget_11-12/RailBudget_2011-12.pdf