Lok Sabha Question No. 943 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-26
Subject: Occupancy Rate of Vande Bharat Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sudheer Gupta, Shrirang Appa Barne, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Prataprao  Jadhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 943 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2023

## OCCUPANCY RATE OF VANDE BHARAT TRAINS

943. SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is planning to reduce the fares of shortdistance  trains  registering  low  occupancy  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) the  manner in which the said step is going to make fares more feasible and help out the people;
- (c) the  details  of  routes  on  which  fare  reduction  is  likely  to  be implemented initially and the additional routes identified for the purpose;
- (d) the total amount of revenue likely to be saved by the Railways by reducing the operational cost of Vande Bharat trains;
- (e) the  details  of  the  occupancy  rate  of  Vande  Bharat  Trains  at various routes; and
- (f) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase occupancy rate in Vande Bharat routes?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  943  BY  SHRI  SUDHEER  GUPTA,  SHRI SHRIRANG  APPA  BARNE,  SHRI  SANJAY  SADASHIVRAO  MANDLIK, SHRI  DHAIRYASHEEL  SAMBHAJIRAO  MANE,  SHRI  BIDYUT  BARAN MAHATO AND SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA  ON  26.07.2023  REGARDING  OCCUPANCY  RATE  OF  VANDE BHARAT TRAINS (a)  to  (f):  Zonal  railways  had  been  delegated  power  to  introduce discounts up to a maximum of 25% of basic fare in AC chair car and Executive class in order to optimize utilization of accommodation (vide commercial circular no . 40 of 2019, dated 27.8.2019). This authorized zonal railways to offer competitive fares over certain segments after analyzing the travel trends for all competitive modes in the region and also estimating the future occupancy potential. The same provisions were  extended  with  some  minor  modifications  (vide  commercial circular no. 11 of 2023, dated 8.7.2023). Further, fare rationalization is a continuous process to optimize utilization of travel accommodation in trains. During  current  financial  year,  2023-24  (up  to  June  2023),  the overall utilization of Vande Bharat trains has been 99.60%. The  operational cost depends  on  various factors including traction energy cost and traction energy consumption. It is continuous endeavour of Indian Railways to reduce the operational cost of trains. Vande  Bharat  rakes  are  having  regenerative  braking  system  as  its core  design  feature  which  feeds  braking  energy  back  to  Over  Head Equipment (OHE) and thus reduces traction energy consumption.

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