Rail Budget: Safety of passengers is my first priority , says Dinesh Trivedi

NEW DELHI: Railway minister Dinesh Trivedi has started with the presentation of his maiden Railway Budget in Parliament.
Safety is my first priority and sole emphasis, Dinesh Trivedi said reading out his budget speech.
"I wow to target zero deaths," he said in his maiden rail budget speech. "I also propose to set up an independent railway safety authority, as recommended by an expert group headed by the former Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar."
He said time has come to think in terms of one national policy for Indian Railways. The minister for railways announced several modernisation programmes for the railways in his speech and said investment of Rs.5.60 lakh crore would be required for the purpose.
He said the railways will make an effort to remove all unmanned crossings in the next five years. Dinesh Trivedi announced plans to bring down operating ratio which at present stands at 95%.
The railway minister said special purpose vehicle would be set up on safety protocols.