Prasad, who inaugurated the Ratlam-Neemuch broad gauge line, told to mediapersons on board a special train ''I brought the railways out of the red and earned a profit of Rs 20,000 crore. Now, the emphasis is on further expanding railway business under which the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor Project will be likely completed at a cost of Rs 30,000 crore within the stipulated time of five years.'' For enhancing goods loading capacity, the Eastern Corridor would run from Ludhiana to Howrah while its western counterpart would run from New Delhi to Mumbai.

''The corridors envisage separate electrified up and down tracks for goods trains. In the second phase, freight corridors will be constructed between Mumbai-Chennai and Chennai-Howrah,'' the Minister said.

Lalu Prasad today said that the number of coaches was being enhanced to 24 in every passenger train, work to increase stations' capacity had begun and cushioned seats were being fitted in every general bogie.

''All these tasks are likely to be completed in one-and-a-half years,'' Mr Prasad, who inaugurated the Ratlam-Neemuch broad gauge line, told mediapersons on a special train.

To keep tracks clean, train toilets would be made on the pattern of plane toilets to prevent excreta from falling on tracks.