Lok Sabha Question No. 3695 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Number of General and AC Compartments added to New Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Sudama Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3695 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2024

## NUMBER OF GENERAL AND AC COMPARTMENTS ADDED TO NEW TRAINS

3695. SHRI SUDAMA PRASAD:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the existing seats to actual number of passenger ratio for the number of  people  who  travelled  in  General  coaches  (of  both  express  and passenger trains) during the last ten years for various zones, year-wise;
- (b) the same data for those travelling in AC coaches;
- (c) the number of general compartments available in trains during the last ten years, zone-wise; and
- (d)  the  number  of  new  general  compartments  and  AC  compartments added to new trains during the last five years, zone-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (d):  The  demand  pattern  and  number  of  seats/accommodation  for passenger  traffic  on  Indian  Railways  is  not  uniform.  In  addition  to  the regular time tabled train services, Indian Railways also operates special trains and attaches additional coaches on temporary basis to clear extra rush  during  festival/peak  demand  period.  The  number  of  class-wise accommodation thus varies in accordance with the pattern of augmentation of such temporary coaches and the number of trips of such special trains operated during a year. However, on Indian Railways, from 2013-14  to  2023-24,  total  approximately  709.5  crore  and  6863  crore passengers  travelled  in  reserved  and  unreserved  classes  respectively across all classes.

Composition  of  train  services  depends  on  operational  feasibility, traffic justification etc. and accordingly changes from time to time. Indian Railways  constantly  endeavours  to  cater  to  the  demand  of  all  class  of passengers  including  general  class  passengers.  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.  Extant  policy  regarding composition of Mail/Express trains also provides for 12 (Twelve) General class  &  Sleeper  class  non-  AC  coaches  and  08  (eight)  ACCoaches, in a train of 22 coaches. This provides greater accommodation to the passengers using General and non-AC Sleeper Coaches.

With  a  view  to  augment  the  accommodation  and  for  the  benefit  of passengers  travelling  in  unreserved  coaches,  more  than  900  General Class  coaches  have  been  attached  in  the  Mail/Express  trains  operating with  LHB  coaches  during  the  current  financial  year  (Upto  November 2024). Keeping in view increased demand, Indian Railways has planned to manufacture 10,000 non-AC Coaches including General Class and Sleeper Class  Coaches.    During  the  financial  year  2019-20  to  2024-25  (upto October  2024),  approximately  5200  coaches  of  different  classes  were augmented  in  different  services,  of  which  1100  were  General  class coaches.

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.

To cater to the rush during Durga Puja/Dipawali/Chhath, 7990 trips of Special trains have also been operated during the period 1 st  October, 2024 to 30 th November, 2024 to serve approximately 1.8 crore passengers.

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