Lok Sabha Question No. 2813 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-06
Subject: Additional General Coaches in Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Rakesh Rathor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2813 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025

## ADDITIONAL GENERAL COACHES IN TRAINS

## †2813. SHRI RAKESH RATHOR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  total  number  of  general  coaches  in  trains  running  in the country during the last ten years, year-wise;
- (b) whether the number of general coaches has declined over the years and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  number  of  total  new  general  coaches  added  to  the Railways fleet during the last ten years, year-wise;
- (d) whether the Government is aware that a large number of common citizens has failed to take railway journey due to overcrowding in general coaches as well as the passengers travelling have to face hardship and sometimes their lives are also at risk due to travelling in such overcrowding coaches; and
- (e) if so, the efforts being made by the Government to address this issue?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (e):  Indian  Railways  (IR)  have  significantly  increased  the facilities  for  passengers  demanding  general/sleeper  class  travel.

During the last financial year 2024-25 alone, 1250 general coaches have been utilised in various long-distance trains.

To  cater  to  the  travel  demand  of  the  low  and  middle  income families,  Indian  Railways  have  taken  up  17,000  non-AC  coaches (general/sleeper) over the next 5 years.

On Indian  Railways,  the  percentage  of  non-AC  coaches  as  on  31 st March 2025 is about 70% as indicated 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%   |

The number of non-AC coaches has increased from around 48,500 in 2013-14 to 57,200 in 2024-25.

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.

## Amrit Bharat Express:

Railways  have  developed  a  fully  non-AC  modern  train  named  as Amrit  Bharat  express.  Already  14  services  are  in  operation.  The present  composition  of  Amrit  Bharat  consists  of  11  General  Class coaches, 8  Sleeper  Class  coaches,  01  Pantry  car  and  02  Luggage cum Divyangjan coaches.

High  Speed  and  enhanced  Safety  standards  are  the  hallmarks  of these trains with following enhanced features and amenities:

- i. Better aesthetics of seat and berths with enhanced look & feel on the lines of Vande Bharat Sleeper.
- ii. Jerk Free Semi-Automatic Couplers.
- iii. Improved  Crashworthiness  in  coaches  by  provision  of crash tube.
- iv. Provision  of  CCTV  system  in  all  coaches  and  Luggage room.
- v. Improved designs of toilets.
- vi. Improved design of Ladder for ease of climbing on to the berth.
- vii. Improved LED Light fitting & Charging Sockets.
- viii. Provision of EP assisted braking system.
- ix. Aerosol  based  fire  suppression  system  in  toilets  and electrical cubicles.

- x. USB Type-A and Type-C mobile charging sockets.
2. Emergency Talk Back system for two-way communication
- xi. between Passenger and Guard/Train Manager.
4. xii.
5. Non-AC pantry with enhanced heating capacity.
- xiii. Fully sealed gangways with quick release mechanism for easy attachment and detachment.

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.

Further,  to  cater  to  the  needs  of  passengers  desirous  of  availing operate unreserved non-AC passenger trains/ MEMU / EMU etc. for affordable travel,  which  are  in  addition  to  the  unreserved  accommodation unreserved accommodation, Indian Railways (IR) (coaches) available in Mail/Express services.

## Standard Composition:

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.

## Special trains:

During the years 2024 and 2025 around 13,500 trips of special trains each  year  were  operated to  meet  the  extra  rush  of  passengers during Holi and Summer vacation. To cater to the rush during Durga were operated  during  the  period  1st  October,2024  to  30th  November,

Pooja/Deepawali/Chhath, 7,990 trips of Special trains 2024, to  serve approximately 1.8 crore passengers.

passengers  during  the  recently concluded Maha Kumbh, IR operated more than 17,300 trains during the period 13th January, 2025 to 28th February, 2025, which served

With a view  to facilitate the approximately 4.24 crore passengers.

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.

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