Having presented five consecutive railways budgets between 2004- 2008 without "directly" raising fares - in fact, making conditional fare-cuts here and there - Yadav looks all set to keep his date with history when he rises to present the interim rail budget in Lok Sabha on February 13..

Already dubbed a low-key affair by the railways ministry, the budget for this year is not likely to throw up any major surprises other than some conditional "fare cuts" in certain classes. This being an election year, the benefits of fare

"With the recent reduction in diesel prices, the railways may decide to pass on this benefit to the commuters," a ministry source said. So, even as a 5- to 10-per cent fare cut could be a possibility for select trains in select periods, insiders say

Since no new projects are conventionally announced in an interim budget, the ministry is unlikely to announce any new-line, doubling or gauge-conversion projects this time. "However, nothing prevents us from announcing new trains," a source added. Given Lalu's soft corner for home-state Bihar, it may get a major chunk of the new trains including a few new Garib Raths.

The minister is also likely to announce measures to add to categories of travellers who are eligible for fare concessions. A few more new concessions for senior citizens, women and students could also be announced.

Lalu's claim, made during last year's budget, of leaving the ministry with a cumulative cash surplus of Rs 1,00,000 crore by the end of this fiscal, appears far from fruition. Even as the railways are set to post a10- to 12-per cent increase in passenger earnings, a slowdown in freight business, particularly in container and steel business, is expected to hit its freight carrying targets and, in turn, revenues.