Lok Sabha Question No. 3745 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Improving Basic Amenities and better Services in Unreserved Coaches
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, Shri Bharat Singh Kushwah

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3745 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2024

## IMPROVING BASIC AMENITIES AND BETTER SERVICES IN UNRESERVED COACHES

## 3745 SHRI KAMAKHYA PRASAD TASA: SHRI BHARAT SINGH KUSHWAH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  making  any  efforts  to  provide  basic amenities  and  better  services  to  the  passengers  travelling  in  the unreserved coaches of trains;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has fixed any target to manufacture any special general and unreserved coaches in this regard and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the passenger capacity of the unreserved general coaches in the country;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  manufacture  separate unreserved coaches for women and differently-abled persons;
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (g)  whether  the  Government  is  introducing  advanced  types  of  said coaches for better passenger experience and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (g):  Indian  Railways  constantly  endeavours  to  cater  to  the travelling needs of all cross-section of society by operating different

types  of  services  with  different  composition,  which  includes  both Non-AC  and  AC  coaches.  Of  the  total  number  of  Coaches  being presently  utilized  for  running  of  train  services,  approximately  twothird are non-AC, and one-third are AC variants. With a view to provide greater accommodation for the passengers using General and non-AC Sleeper Coaches, the extant policy regarding composition of Mail/Express trains, provide for 12 (Twelve) General class & Sleeper class  non-  AC  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.

With a view to augment the accommodation for passengers travelling in  unreserved  coaches, more than 900 General Class coaches have been attached, in the Mail/Express trains operating with LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches, during the current financial year.

Further,  keeping  in  view  increased  demand,  IR  has  provisioned  to manufacture  10,000  non-AC  Coaches  including  General  Class  and Sleeper Class Coaches.

Further,  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 have also been operated during the period 1st October, 2024 to 30th November, 2024, to  serve approximately 1.8 crore passengers.

Additionally, Indian Railways have introduced Amrit Bharat services, which are  equipped  with  modern  features  and  passenger  amenities 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.

Indian Railways have already been facilitating a separate compartment earmarked for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) in last vehicle LSLRD/SLRD (Second class cum Luggage cum Guard Van & Disabled Friendly Compartment) marshalled in almost all Mail/Express trains. These coaches have wider entrance doors, wider berths, wider compartments, larger lavatory with wider doors, wheel chair parking area, etc. Inside the toilets, additional grab rails on the side walls for support and wash basin and mirror at a suitable height are also available.

Besides, in all Vande-Bharat trains, the driving coaches on each end have the provision of similar facilities for Divyangjan like automatic plug type wide entrance door, earmark space for parking wheel chair, larger  lavatory  area  for  complete  movement  of  wheel  chair,  Braille signage, low height wash basin, western commode with handrails at suitable height etc.

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