New Delhi: Railway Minister Laloo Prasad today (Sep 12, 2004) announced recruitment of 80,000 personnel by the year 2006 to ensure safety and security for the railway services.

Talking to reporters after the two-day Conference of General Managers of the Zonal Railways to chalk out strategies for the implementation of Railway schemes promised in the Common Minimum Programme, Prasad also promised filling of vacancies for SCs/STs and other OBCs.

Expressing satisfaction over the performance of Railways in the past five months, he announced that a Superfast train with the speed of 150 kms/hour would be launched between Delhi and Agra, works for which has been completed.

He also announced trains with the speed of 130 kms/hour beginning next year from different places in the country.

Stating that all the districts will have Railway reservation system within the next two year, the Minister said the rail commuters will have reservation inquiry facility across the country within the next two years and the facility has already been started at Patna and Bangalore stations on experiment basis.

He also announced that "Village on Wheels", the common Man's palace on wheels, would be launched by next month as its nitty gritty was being finalised.