Lok Sabha Question No. 200 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-12
Subject: Overcrowding in Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Smt. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 200 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2025 OVERCROWDING IN TRAINS

## *200.   SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the issue of overcrowding of trains;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to resolve the issue;
- (c) whether the Government has decreased the number of general and sleeper coaches in major trains and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  details  regarding  the  number  of  general,  sleeper  and  AC  coaches increased/decreased in Express trains across the country during the last ten years; and
- (e) the details regarding the number of general/sleeper/AC coaches that the Rail Coach Factory has  built  during  the  year  2024-25  so  far  and  is  planning  to build during the year 2025-26?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 200 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2025

(a)  to  (e):  On  Indian  Railways,  occupancy  pattern  of  trains  is  not  uniform throughout the year and it varies over lean and peak periods. During peak rush periods, the occupancy of the trains especially on popular routes remains full whereas  during  lean  period  and  on  less  popular  routes,  there  is  sub  optimal utilization.

Traffic  pattern  of  the  trains  running  on  Indian  Railways  is  monitored  on regular  basis  and  to  cater  to  additional  demand,  load  of  existing  trains  are augmented,  special  trains  are  run,  new  trains  are  introduced,  frequency  of existing trains is increased etc. subject to operational feasibility.

In its constant endeavour to provide additional accommodation to travelling passengers,  Indian  Railways(IR),  in  addition  to  the  various  types  of  regular trains,    also  operates  Special  train  services  during  festivals,  holidays,  etc.  to cater to the extra needs of passengers.

Accordingly, during the year 2024, 13523 trips special trains were operated to meet the extra rush of passengers during Holi and summer vacation. To cater to  the  rush  during  Durga  Pooja/Dipawali/Chhath,    7990  trips  of  Special  trains were operated during the period 1st October, 2024 to 30th November, 2024, to serve approximately 1.8 crore passengers.

With a view to facilitate the passengers during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh,  IR  operated  more  than  17300  trains  during  the  period  13th  January, 2025 to 28th February, 2025, which served approximately 4.24 crore passengers.

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  load  of  trains  are  also  augmented,  both  on permanent  and  temporary  basis,  to  generate  additional  accommodation  for different segments of passengers.

During the year 2023-24, 872 coaches have been utilized for augmentation of train  services  on  permanent  basis while  during  the  year  2024-25(till  February, 2025), 983 coaches have been utilized for permanent augmentation.

Further, to provide greater accommodation for the passengers using General and  non-AC  Sleeper  Coaches,  the  extant  policy  regarding  composition  of Mail/Express trains provides for 12 (Twelve) General  class & Sleeper class nonAC  coaches  and  08  (eight)  AC-Coaches,  in  a  train  of  22  coaches,  thereby providing greater accommodation for the passengers  using General and non-AC Sleeper  Coaches.  Besides,  of  the  total  number  of  Coaches  being  presently utilized for running of train services, two-third are non-AC, and one-third are AC variants.

Additionally, Indian Railways have introduced Amrit Bharat services, which have modern State-of the Art technology, are equipped with advanced features like  Semi-Permanent  couplers  for  jerk  free  travel,  horizontal  sliding  windows, foldable  snack  table  and  bottle  holders,  mobile  holders  etc.  These  services, which are fully non-AC trains, presently comprising 12 Sleeper Class Coaches and  8  General  Class  coaches,    are  providing  high  quality  services  to  the passengers.

With a view to augment the accommodation and for the benefit of passengers travelling in unreserved coaches, about 1200 General Class coaches have been attached,  in  the  Mail/Express  trains  operating  with  LHB  coaches  during  the current  financial  year.  Keeping  in  view  increased  demand,  IR  has  planned  to manufacture more than 17,000 General Class/Sleeper Class (Non-AC) Coaches.

During the financial year 2024-25 (till Feb 2025), Rail Coach factories have built 6485 coaches.

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