The government on Tuesday spared any hike in freight rates for commodities, and instead proposed a 10 per cent cut in rates for transporting heavy machinery by special trains and 7.1 per cent hike in charges for sending parcel through Rajdhani Express trains.

Presenting the Railway Budget for 2004-05 in Parliament, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said technical staff of the customers and railway staff escorting the heavy machinery consignment by special trains will be permitted to travel free of cost.

Heavy machinery transported upto 500 km will now attract a freight charge of Rs 922,000, down by Rs 102,000.

Charges for transport of such heavy machinery would be Rs 20.48 lakh (Rs 2 million) upto 1,000 km, while it has been pegged at Rs 27.65 lakh (Rs 2.8 million) upto 1,500 km, Rs 36.86 lakh (Rs 3.7 million) upto 2,000 km, Rs 46.08 lakh (Rs 4.6 million) upto 2,500 km and Rs 55.30 lakh (Rs 5.5 million) upto 3,000 km.

The minister announced a 7.1 per cent hike in charges for sending parcel through Rajdhani Express trains (Scale-R) from this fiscal.

The parcel rate for premier trains (Scale-P) like Shatabdi Express has been pegged at around 53 per cent of the Scale-R. The parcel rate sent through standard services by all ordinary passenger trains (Scale-S) remains unchanged.

The government also proposed that all types of special parcel trains, including Millennium Parcel Trains, shall be charged at Scale-P instead of Scale-S.

Newspapers and magazines can be booked at concessional rates uniformly at 45 per cent of the Scale-S by all trains, including Rajdhani Express trains.

The parcel rates upto 100 km would Rs 53.70 per quintal for Scale-R, Rs 28.60 for Scale-P and Rs 17.90 for Scale-S.

For distance upto 300 km, the parcel rates would be Rs 103.70 for Scale-R, Rs 55.30 for Scale-P and Rs 34.60 for Scale-S.

Upto 500 km, the parcel rate would be Rs 145.10 for Scale-R, Rs 77.40 for Scale-P and Rs 48.40 for Scale-S.

Upto 700 km, the parcel rate would be Rs 191.30 for Scale-R, Rs 102 for Scale-P and Rs 63.80 for Scale-S.

Upto 900 km, the rate would be Rs 239 for Scale-R, Rs 127.40 for Scale-P and Rs 79.70 for Scale-S.

For a distance of 1,000 km, the parcel rate would be 263.40 for Scale-R, Rs 140.50 for Scale-P and Rs 87.80 for Scale-S.

Upto 1,500 km, the rate would be 372.30 for Scale-R, Rs 198.60 for Scale-P and Rs 124.10 for Scale-S.

Upto 2,000 km, the rate would be Rs 451.70 for Scale-R, Rs 240.90 for Scale-P and Rs 150.60 for Scale-S.