Lok Sabha Question No. 2368 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-26
Subject: Passenger and Coaching Services
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, P.R. SUNDARAM, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2368 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.12.2018

## PASSENGER AND COACHING SERVICES

## 2368.  DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI SATAV RAJEEV:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  true  that  the  Railways  is  not  able  to  meet  its operating cost of passengers and other coaching services;
- (b) if  so,  the  reasons therefor along with the details of operating cost of passenger services, zone-wise/State-wise;
- (c) whether  the  profit  earned  from  freight  services  is  used  to compensate the loss of passenger and coaching services;
- (d) if so, the reasons why the Government was unable to improve this  deterioration  of  finances  of  passenger  and  coaching services;
- (e) the zone-wise/State-wise details of the steps taken/being taken by  the  Government  to  improve  passenger  earning  relative  to expenditure, and thus improve operating ratio, year-wise since 2014; and
- (f) the  zone-wise/State-wise  details  of  the  percentage  of  railway budget  spent  on  passenger  and  coaching  services,  year-wise since 2014?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

( SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN )

- (a) to (f): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2368 BY DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE,  SHRI SATAV RAJEEV,  SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK,    DR.  J.  JAYAVARDHAN,  SHRI  P.R.  SUNDARAM  AND  SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA  ON  26.12.2018  REGARDING  PASSENGER  AND    COACHING SERVICES

- (a)  &  (b):    Yes,  Madam.  Indian  Railways  carry  out  certain  transport activities which are uneconomic in nature and are carried out in the larger  interest  of  the  country.  Zone-wise  details  of  operating  cost  of coaching services for the year 2016-17 are as under:
- (c)  &  (d):  Yes,  Madam.  Indian  Railways  being  the  major  transport carrier  of  the  country  bear  a  Social  Service  Obligation  towards  the society by providing certain services below their cost of operation in the  interest  of  common  men.  Railways  therefore  have  to  fine  tune between the need to maintain its financial viability and its commitments  to  society  at  large.  This  places  certain  curbs  on  the commercial freedom  of  Indian  Railways  in  the  matter  of  pricing  and elimination of uneconomic operation and services.

|   S.No. | Zonal Railways      |   Operating cost ( in crore) |
|---------|---------------------|------------------------------|
|       1 | Central             |                         8313 |
|       2 | Eastern             |                         7973 |
|       3 | East Central        |                         4837 |
|       4 | East Coast          |                         2520 |
|       5 | Northern            |                        13891 |
|       6 | North Central       |                         4936 |
|       7 | North Eastern       |                         4914 |
|       8 | North East Frontier |                         4631 |
|       9 | North Western       |                         4267 |
|      10 | Southern            |                         8851 |
|      11 | South Central       |                         7100 |
|      12 | South Eastern       |                         3908 |
|      13 | South East Central  |                         2147 |
|      14 | South Western       |                         3351 |
|      15 | Western             |                         7739 |
|      16 | West Central        |                         3866 |
|      17 | Metro Railway       |                          554 |

(e): Improvement in passenger earnings is an ongoing exercise which is attempted through targeting higher passenger traffic and rationalisation of fare. Passenger earnings are only a part of the total traffic  earnings  of  Railways  which  impacts  the  operating  ratio  of Indian  Railways.  Improvement  in  operating  ratio  of  Railways  is attempted through maximisation of total traffic earnings and minimisation  of  working  expenses  of  Railways.  Indian  Railways continuously strive to enhance passenger earnings across all Zonal Railways through various measures like:-

- i. The  concept  of  Premium  Tatkal  Quota  has  been  introduced with effect from 01.10.2014 on dynamic fare.
- ii. The concept of special trains on special charges (10% higher for  second  class  reserved  and  30%  higher  for  other  classes) have been introduced on higher fares from May 2015.
- iii. From  01.07.2015  the  concept  of  Suvidha  specials  have  been introduced on variable fare structure.
- iv. Minimum fare for second class over non-suburban section has been increased from 5 to 10 from 22.11.2015.
- v. Increase in the passenger fare by 14.2% in all classes except in second  class  single  journey  tickets  upto  80  kilometres  over suburban sections with effect from 25.06.2014.
- vi. Rationalization of tatkal fare scheme with effect from 25.12.2015.
- vii. Flexi  fare  scheme  has  been  introduced  in  Rajdhani,  Shatabdi and Duronto trains with effect from 09.09.2016.
- viii. 10% discount on vacant berths/seats after preparation of first chart is granted in all reserved trains with effect from 01.01.2017.
- ix. Discounted fare in Shatabdi trains over 4 sections viz. Bengaluru-Mysuru, Mysuru-Bengaluru, Ahmedabad-Vadodara and Jalpaiguri-Malda Town.
- x. To facilitate  second  class  passengers,  sleeper  class  coaches running underutilized have been de-reserved over certain sections as second class unreserved on second class fare.
- xi. After  successful  implementation  in  5  pairs  of  trains  over Bengaluru-Mysuru-Bengaluru section (both earnings and occupancy increased) the powers have been delegated to zonal
12. Railways to declare AC-3tier coaches (running vacant/in locked condition on particular section) as AC chair Car on particular section on AC chair Car fare.
- xii. Running  of  special  trains  during  festivals/holidays  on  special charges, Suvidha trains with higher fare.
- xiii. Augmentation of on-board capacity by attachment of additional coaches.
- xiv. Extension of Alternate Train  Accommodation  Scheme  of VIKALP scheme on all trains to provide confirmed accommodation to waitlisted passengers.
- xv. Streamlining  of  Computerised  Passenger  Reservation  System to  facilitate  timely  preparation  of  Reservation  Charts  and transfer of vacant berths to next remote location.
- xvi. Increase in berths earmarked for RAC passengers.
- xvii. Organising intensive ticket checking drives, including fortress checks, etc. to discourage ticketless travel.

(f):  Indian  Railways  Budget  allotments  to  zones  are  not  made separately for passenger/coaching services and for freight services.

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