With former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad's success stories of turning around the loss-making behemoth doing the rounds in the hallowed portals of the Indian Institute of Management and the Harvard Business School, Mamata has a tough job of living up to the expectations of the people. In the last Railway Budget, Lalu had cut fares and introduced more new trains.

However, much more needs to be done to modernise and develop the railway network and make travel more comfortable and safe for passengers.

While Lalu worked well to generate more revenues for the Railways, Mamata's main focus is passenger comfort.

She has promised to modernise the rail network. She has announced special monthly passes at Rs 20 for those with monthly income below Rs 500, besides a new train for West Bengal.

In the Budget, she may revoke the order by her Lalu Prasad on issuance of lifetime complimentary passes to Railway Ministers. An order dated May 19 from the Railway Board had stated that a former Railway Minister would get a First Class air-conditioned complimentary card pass for himself with three companions in the same class.

"Allowing one or two companions is okay. Issuing four free passes would rob the common man of berths," Mamata said. One attendant would also get a ticket in the second air-conditioned class as per the order.

She has also promised to complete the work on the east-west freight corridor between Ludhiana and Howrah in a record time to boost economic activities across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar and Bengal.

"It is a social obligation we have to fulfill for the humanity. We will try to give economy freedom to these sections for train travel," Banerjee said.