While Banerjee looks all set to follow in her predecessor Lalu Prasad Yadav’s footsteps by not announcing any hike in passenger fares, she is, however, unlikely to emulate Lalu when it comes to making any kind of cuts in passenger fares.

Not that the temptation to cut fares was not there. But laden with the twin baggage of losses suffered ever since the economic downturn set in and the Rs 14,000 crore which the Railways has to shell out to implement the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission, the top brass of the Railway Ministry is learnt to have backed the idea of retaining status quo on passenger fares. Not hiking fares is a big enough move, the ministry officials are learnt to have argued. Also, unlike Lalu’s term when the single-point agenda during the Rail Budget used to be fare-cuts, the ministry under Mamata is apparently under not much pressure to cut fares further.

The fact that a two per cent across the board fare cut, announced by Lalu in the Interim Rail Budget in February, is already in place for the current financial year is also unlikely to necessitate a further cut. “If at all a fare-cut is made, it has to be very nominal and symbolic,” a ministry source said.

Sources said the Railway Minister may announce three or four major projects for home state West Bengal, including a major production unit. In the Interim Budget, Lalu had said the ministry would discuss the matter relating to the transfer of the wagon units of Burn Standard located in Burnpur and Howrah to the ministry the way it was done for units located in Bihar’s Mokama and Muzaffarpur. An announcement about Railways taking over these wagon units could be on the cards. Announcements related to expansion of Kolkata Metro and several new trains for Bengal are also on the anvil, said sources.

Another key announcement in the budget could relate to a Rs 600-crore Integrated Security Plan which envisages setting up of equipment like Internet Protocol based CCTV surveillance systems, access control systems, baggage screening systems and explosive detection and disposal systems at major stations.

Banerjee could also announce an enhancement in the strength of the Railways Protection Force (RPF). The RPF is learnt to have asked for 22,000 new personnel and plans to raise three battalions (around 3,600 personnel) for its crack force — the Railways Protection Special Force — which it plans to deploy exclusively in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast and areas affected with Left-wing extremism. The RPF may also get a Rs 14-crore grant for purchasing vehicles.