Lok Sabha Question No. 1655 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-21
Subject: Drop in number of passengers
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dibyendu Adhikari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1655 TO  BE  ANSWERED ON 21.09.2020

## DROP IN NUMBER OF PASSENGERS

1655.  SHRI  DIBYENDU ADHIKARI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that from 2018-19 to 2019-20 till date the number  of  passengers  who  travelled  by  AC  coaches  has dropped by over 13 percent and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also a fact that cost of road transport along with the infrastructural development and the air travel prices have become cheaper and it is the cause of consecutive decrease of passengers who travelled by trains; and
- (c) if  so,  the  action  plan  taken  by  the  Government  to  rectify  the situation?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

*****

STATEMENT  REFERED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1655 BY SHRI  DIBYENDU ADHIKARI TO BE ANSWERED  IN LOK SABHA ON 21.09.2020 REGARDING DROP IN NUMBER OF PASSENGERS

(a):  No, Sir.  There is no drop recorded in the number of passengers who  travelled  by  AC  coaches  in  the financial  year  2019-20  as compared to the  corresponding number of passengers in the financial year 2018-19. However, in financial year 2020-21 due to cancellation of regular passenger trains in view of Covid-19 pandemic, there is drop in number of passengers.

(b):  Railways,  Road  and  Airlines  are  different  modes  of  transport, which are not comparable in terms of their volume, connectivity and convenience. There  is  no  fixed  maximum  limit  of  fare  in  Airlines whereas  Railways  have  fixed  maximum  fare  throughout  the  year. Airline  fare  varies  significantly  depending  on  time  of  operation, stoppages,  travel  duration,  Origin  -  Destination  pair,  carrier  etc. Railways' fare may or may not be higher than the air fare depending upon the class of travel as well as the peak or lean periods.  It is the choice of the passengers to opt either for Railway or Airlines as per their convenience.

On  the  similar  pattern,  Road  transport  is  mainly  for  short/medium distances  and  has  different  fare  structure  over  different  sectors. Railways have uniform local train fare as well as Intercity train mail / Exp fare for short/medium distances depending upon the category of service.  Therefore,  fare  of  rail  may  not  be  comparable  with  road transport also.

(c): Indian Railways continuously strives to improve passenger traffic over its network. Accordingly, during pre-COVID period, various steps have  been  taken  by  the  Railways  to  enhance  passenger  traffic including the following:-

- i. Periodical  review  of  reservation  quota  and  making  necessary adjustments, wherever required, with a view to ensure optimum utilization of available accommodation.
2. Analysis  of  waiting  list  on  regular  basis  so  as  to  augment  the capacity of existing trains, to run special trains or to introduce new  trains,  subject  to  operational  feasibility  and  commercial
- ii. justification.
- iii. Rationalisation of flexi-fare scheme along with  graded discount scheme in Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains.
- iv. Offering fare of AC chair Car and Second class unreserved for AC3tier coaches and Sleeper class coaches respectively having low occupancy on particular sections.
- v. Introduction of discounted scheme in  AC sitting accommodation over  full/part  of  the  sections  where  AC  coaches  with  sitting accommodation are running with low occupancy.
- vi. Extension of Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme known as VIKALP.
- vii. Introduction of new  passenger  services like Vande  Bharat Express, Tejas Express, Air-conditioned Electrical Multiple Unit(EMU)  services,  Gatiman  Express,  Anubhuti  Coaches  etc. with improved features and amenities.

In the COVID-19 situation, resumption of passenger train services has been undertaken by Indian Railways in a phased manner based on the demand  pattern  subject to Covid-19 situation  and  Government's directives. Periodical review of occupancy, quota utilization, waiting list  of  trains  is  done  and  adjustments  are  made, wherever  required. Measures  to  enhance  passenger  traffic  is  a  continuous  and  an  ongoing process.

****