Lok Sabha Question No. 50 (STARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: Reduction of Unreserved Coaches in Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ms. S Jothimani, Shri Sachithanantham R

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 50

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025

## REDUCTION OF UNRESERVED COACHES IN TRAINS

*50. MS. S JOTHIMANI: SHRI SACHITHANANTHAM R:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of unreserved coaches reduced in various trains across different railway zones during the last two years, zone-wise along with the reasons for such reduction;
- (b) the details of the number of passengers who travelled in unreserved coaches during the last five financial years ending 31st March 2025;
- (c) the  number  of  unreserved  passengers  got  affected  due  to  such reduction and the alternative arrangements, if any, made to accommodate them;
- (d) whether the Government has conducted any study on the demand for unreserved travel; and
- (e)
- 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 (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. 50 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025

(a)  to (e) No Sir, Railways have significantly increased the facilities for passengers  demanding  general  class  travel.    During  the  last  financial year 2024-25 alone, 1250 general coaches have been utilised in various long-distance trains.

The percentage of non-AC coaches has significantly increased to about 70% as detailed below:

Table 1: Distribution of coaches:

| Non-AC coaches (general and sleeper)   | ~57,200   | ~70%   |
|----------------------------------------|-----------|--------|
| AC coaches                             | ~25,000   | ~30%   |
| Total coaches                          | ~82,200   | 100%   |

Due to higher availability of general coaches, the number of passengers traveling in general/ unreserved coaches has shown an increasing trend as shown below:

Table 2: Passengers in general/unreserved coaches:

| Year    | No. of Passengers   |
|---------|---------------------|
| 2020-21 | 99 Cr (Covid year)  |
| 2021-22 | 275 Cr (Covid year) |
| 2022-23 | 553 Cr              |
| 2023-24 | 609 Cr              |
| 2024-25 | 651 Cr              |

The number of seats available for non-AC passengers has also increased over the years.  The current composition is as follows:

Table 3: Distribution of seats:

| Non-AC seats   | ~ 54 lakhs   | ~ 78%   |
|----------------|--------------|---------|
| AC seats       | ~ 15 lakhs   | ~ 22%   |
| Total          | ~ 69 lakhs   | 100%    |

Given the above data, it is clear that Indian Railways is committed to the low  and  middle  income  families  who  prefer  railways  as  an  affordable means of transportation.

Railways have developed a fully non-AC modern train named as Amrit Bharat express.  Already 14 services are in operation.  These modern trains  have  advanced  features  like  Semi-automatic  couplers  for  jerk free travel, horizontal sliding windows, foldable snack tables and bottle holders,  mobile  holders  etc.   These  trains  comprise  8  Sleeper  Class coaches and 11 General Class coaches.

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  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.

Further,  to  cater  to  the  needs  of  passengers  desirous  of  availing unreserved accommodation, Indian Railways (IR) operate unreserved

non-AC passenger trains/ MEMU / EMU etc. for affordable travel, which are in addition to the unreserved accommodation (coaches) available in Mail/Express services. Development  of  Amrit  Bharat  Express  trains,  manufacturing  of  MEMU trains, and increasing the share of general coaches clearly shows that Indian  Railways  is  catering  effectively  to  the  demand  for  travel  in general class. Over and above the current high share of non-AC coaches (~70% of total coaches), Railways is executing a special manufacturing programme for 17,000 non-AC general/sleeper coaches over the next 5 years. Therefore, it is not correct to say that railways have reduced the number of general coaches.

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