Lok Sabha Question No. 637 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-05
Subject: Special Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Bhartruhari Mahtab

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 637

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2020

## SPECIAL TRAINS

## 637.  SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  number  of  Special  Trains  including  Suvidha  Trains  run  by  the Government across the country during last year and the current year;
- (b)  whether the cases of misuse of reserved tickets have come to the notice of the Government in such trains during the said period;
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  action  taken  by  the Government in such cases so far;
- (d)  whether  the  fare  of  such  trains  are  kept  higher  from  the  fare  of normal trains;
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with profits earned by the Government from such trains during the said period;
- (f) the requests received by the Government from various quarters not to  charge  higher fare  in  such  trains  along  with  action  taken  on  such requests so far; and
- (g)  the  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  in  this direction?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (g)  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (g)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 637 BY SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  05.02.2020  REGARDING  SPECIAL TRAINS

## (a)  The number of special trains trips and Suvidha trains trips (including special fare trains)  run across the country during last year and current year are as under:-

|   April 2018 to March 2019 (Approx.) |   April 2019 to December 2019 (Approx.) |
|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
|                                34237 |                                   32145 |

Besides,  running  of  special  trains  on  various  sectors  is  an  ongoing process and varies on day to day basis.

- (b) and (c): Train wise details of cases of misuse of reserved tickets are not maintained. However, Indian Railways has taken various measures to  keep  a  check  on  misuse  of  reserved  tickets,  some  of  which  are  as under:-
- (i) Regular  checks  are  conducted  in  mass  contact  areas  such  as Passenger  Reservation  System  (PRS)  centers,  booking  offices, platforms, trains etc. to prevent unauthorized ticketing activities. Such checks are also intensified during peak period like festivals, holidays etc.
- (ii) Instructions  have  been  issued  to  ensure  that  tickets  are  not booked on abbreviated names and full name of the passenger and the  surname  wherever  applicable  are  captured  at  the  time  of booking reserved tickets.
- (iii) Carrying of prescribed identity proof has been made compulsory for one of the passengers while undertaking journey in reserved class.
- (iv) Checks  conducted  at  Reservation  Offices  are  supplemented  by checks on the trains to detect the  cases of  transferred  reserved tickets i.e. persons found travelling fraudulently against accommodation actually reserved in the name of another passenger.
- (v) Surveillance at reservation offices is stepped up by installing Close Circuit Television at important PRS locations to keep watch on any possible misuse of reservation system.
- (vi) General public are also educated through Public Address System and  media,  not  to  buy  tickets  from  unscrupulous  elements  and consequences of buying tickets from these sources.
- (d) and (e) The following types of special trains are introduced to clear extra rush during peak demand periods:-

| Type of special trains                                     | Fare                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (i) Fully unreserved (second class) train                  | (i). Normal second class Mail/Express fare for unreserved second class                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| (ii) Special trains with mixed composition/fully reserved. | (ii). (a) Second class (unreserved): Normal second class Mail/Express fare for unreserved second class. (b) Second class (reserved): 10% higher than the normal Mail/Express fare for second class. (c) Other classes: 30% higher than the normal Mail/Express fare of the particular class.   |
| (iii) Suvidha Special                                      | (iii). (a) Unreserved second class: Normal superfast Mail/Express fares. (b) Reserved Class: Minimum fare is Tatkal fare for initial 20% of the berths and thereafter the fare increases for subsequent slabs of 20% of seats/berths booked subject to maximum three times of the Tatkal fare. |

From above, it may be seen that there is no increase in fare for second class  (unreserved).  However,  for  other  classes  higher  fares  have  been fixed in view of investments for the coaches, empty running of certain rakes/locos from one location to another, arrangements  of spare Guards/Loco  Pilots,  special  arrangements  for  stabling/maintenance  of the  rakes  and  in  certain  cases  unidirectional  demand  pattern  etc.  The train-wise profitability is not maintained.

- (f)  and  (g)  Representations  are  received  from  different  quarters  and review of policy is an ongoing and continuous process. At present, there is no proposal to review the existing policy for running of special trains.

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