New Delhi (PTI): Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today said Rs 500 crore would be spent over the next two years to improve basic infrastructure at stations, including raising platform levels and building shelters and foot-over-bridges.

Presenting Railway Budget 2008-09 in the Parliament, the Minister said facilities like multi-level parking, lifts would be erected at major stations and public address systems would be extended to some chosen mail and express trains.

Provision has been made to provide foot-over-bridges at all 195 stations of B and D category, besides extending the length of platforms of 560 stations for running longer passenger trains. Besides, all the 748 'D' category stations will be provided with platform shelters.

Arrangements will also be made to provide every platform of 'B' category stations with platform shelters of size 250 to 500 square meter, as per requirements.

"The work of raising platform levels, providing platform shelters and construction of foot-over-bridges will be completed over the next two years at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore," Prasad said.

Commenting on other facilities, he said the public address systems, which are currently installed in all Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains, would be extended to select mail and express trains.

Lifts and escalators at 50 major stations would be made and multi-level car parking lots at 30 major stations would be provided.

He said microprocessor-controlled LED destination boards would be installed on coaches which will enable changing of information through remote control.