Lok Sabha Question No. 1518 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-10
Subject: Revenue loss
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1518 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2021

## REVENUE LOSS

## 1518. SHRI KOMATI REDDY VENKAT REDDY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways continued to lose revenue and freight-rakes could not be operated for carrying vital commodities due to various agitations/strikes including dharnas at platforms and near railway tracks in the country and if so, the details in the last three years and current year till date along with the losses reported in this regard;
- (b) whether  there  has  been  an  adverse  impact  on  freight  movement resulting in non availability of vital commodities for farm, industrial and infrastructure  sector  as  well  as  passenger  trains  which  has  caused tremendous inconvenience to travellers in pre and post COVID-19 times; and
- (c) if  so,  the details thereof and the corrective steps being taken to avoid such situation in future?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMERCE & INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

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STATEMENT REFFERED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  1518  BY  SHRI  KOMATI  REDDY  VENKAT  REDDY  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 10.02.2021 REGARDING REVENUE LOSS

(a): As per the information collected from Zonal Railways, the details of loss of freight loading and freight revenue during last three years and current year due  to  various  agitations/strikes  including  dharnas  at  platforms  and  near railway tracks are as under:

| Year    |   Loss of freight loading in rakes |   Loss of freight revenue(Rupees in crores) |
|---------|------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| 2017-18 |                               1536 |                                      581.75 |
| 2018-19 |                               1868 |                                      911.85 |
| 2019-20 |                               1318 |                                      517.84 |
| 2020-21 |                               3529 |                                     1462.45 |

(b)  &  (c):  During  the  lockdown period following the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, passenger services had to be stopped and freight movement was affected due to the decline in demand and disruption in the road transportation and  labour  services at loading and  unloading  terminals. However, Railways managed to keep the movement of essential transportation uninterrupted ensuring that there was no shortage of coal for power plants and other essential commodities like  foodgrains, fertilizer, milk, medicine  etc.  Record  foodgrain  loading  was  done  to  supply  foodgrains  to States under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Ann Yojna (PMGKAY).

In  terms  of  the  guidelines  issued  by  the  Government,  Indian  Railways operated  4621  Shramik  Specials  trains  which  were  'trains  on  demand'  on mission  mode  based  on  the  requests  of  State  Governments.    The  Shramik

Special  trains  which  were  operated  for  the  movement  of  stranded  persons and migrants, transported 63.19 lakh passengers to their respective States, during the said period. After  the  easing  of  lockdown  by  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs,  Railways  took  a number of steps to move more freight traffic and the shortfall of freight traffic of 70 million tonnes during the period April, 2020 upto July, 2020 as compared to  the  corresponding  period  of  last  year  has  been  considerably  made  good. Indian  Railways  have  loaded  990.31  million  tonnes  from  April,  2020  to January,  2021  as  against  1000.77  million  tonnes  during  the  corresponding period of last financial year. For the safety of passengers, regular passenger carrying train  services  have been cancelled w.e.f 23.03.2020 and presently, only  special  trains  are  in  operation  keeping  in  view  the  concerns  and suggestions of the State Governments. Indian Railways, in consultation with State  Governments,  is  gradually  enhancing  the  number  of  special  trains across the country and have operationalized 2024 Special Mail/Express trains (including  Festival  Specials)  and  approximately  5580  Passenger/  Electric Multiple Unit(EMU)/Mainline Electric Multiple Unit(MEMU). Furthermore, Indian  Railways  is  closely  monitoring  the  prevailing  situation  as  also  the waitlist  position  of  special  trains  and  is  operating  clone  trains  on  routes where unsatiated demand exists.