Lok Sabha Question No. 2290 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-15
Subject: Introduction of Antyodaya Express
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, C. MAHENDRAN, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE, BHARATENDRA SINGH, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, Y. S. AVINASH REDDY, RAJESH VERMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2290 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2017

## INTRODUCTION OF ANTYODAYA EXPRESS

## 2290.  DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

KUNWAR BHARATENDRA:

DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY:

SHRI RAJESH VERMA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recently unveiled Antyodaya Express, a new train for the unreserved passengers and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  coaches  of  train  are  fully  unreserved  LHB  (Linke  Hofmann Busch) second class coaches with additional safety features and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the routes selected for the Antyodaya Express; and
- (d) whether any route from Tamil Nadu has also been included and if so, the details thereof and the fare details of the train?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (a) to (c): Introduction of fully unreserved Antyodaya Express trains on dense routes for the common man has been announced in Railway Budget 2016-17. The coaches of Antyodaya Express trains are Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB)

type second class coaches with vestibules (interconnection between coaches)  for  facilitating  movement  of  passengers  as  well  as  service  staff. Antyodaya  coaches  have  additional  features  such  as  cushioned  luggage racks which can serve as seat during rush, additional hand holds in doorway area, J hooks near longitudinal luggage racks, Potable Water through Water filtration  system,  enhanced  number  of  Mobile  charging  points  and  Fire extinguishers  with  anti-theft  arrangement.  Antyodaya  coaches  also  have  a more pleasing colour scheme. Introduction of 7 Antyodaya Express trains has been notified. The details are as under: (i) 15567/15568 Darbhanga-Jalandhar City Antyodaya Express (Weekly) (ii) 22885/22886 Lokmanya Tilak(T)-Tatanagar Antyodaya Express (Bi-weekly) (iii) 22841/22842 Santragachi-Chennai Central Antyodaya Express (Weekly) (iv) 22895/22896 Bilaspur-Firozpur Antyodaya Express (Weekly) (v) 22921/22922 Bandra(T)-Gorakhpur Antyodaya Express (Weekly) (vi) 22877/22878 Howrah-Ernakulam Antyodaya Express (Weekly) (vii) 15563/15564 Jaynagar-Udhna Antyodaya Express (Weekly) (d):  Indian  Railways  do  not  introduce  new  train  on  State-wise  basis  as railway  network  and  train  operations  straddles  across  State  boundaries. However, the Antyodaya train services serving the stations situated in the State of Tamil Nadu are as under: (i) 22841/22842 Santragachi-Chennai Central Antyodaya Express (Weekly) (ii) 22877/22878 Howrah-Ernakulam Antyodaya Express (Weekly) The base fare of unreserved second class of Antyodaya Express train which has only unreserved second class coaches shall be 15% higher than the base fare  of  unreserved  second  class  of  Mail/Express  train.  Other  charges  like Superfast  surcharge,  Mela  surcharge,  etc.,  if  applicable,  shall  be  levied separately.

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