Mamata likely to present a populist Railway Budget

New Delhi: Mamata Banerjee's Railway Budget 2010 is likely to be a populist one with no increase in passenger fares.

CNN-IBN has got exclusive details of what Mamata will have in store for the Railway passengers when she presents the Budget on Wednesday.

While the Budget is unlikely to increase passenger fares, there could be a selective increase in freight rates.

Freight rates of foodgrains and fertilisers are likely to stay the same as the Centre has been facing a lot of flak on the price rise issue.

But rates of iron ore, coal and cement could rise

Mamata is likely to have more Duranto's - her brainchild - connecting two major cities.

She is also likely to bring in a special Railway Security Fund and there will be more schemes to bring traffic back from the road to the railway tracks

Currently Railways enjoy a market share of 30 per cent of total goods traffic.

(With inputs from Marya Shakil)