Lok Sabha Question No. 2542 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-07
Subject: Overcrowding on Trains Originating from Bihar
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dr. Mohammad Jawed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2542 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2024

## OVERCROWDING ON TRAINS ORIGINATING FROM BIHAR

2542 DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the measures undertaken to address the persistent issue of overcrowding on trains originating from Bihar;
- (b) whether the Government has any plan to increase the number of trains originating  from  Bihar  keeping  in  view  heavy  waitlisted  tickets  on  Biharbound trains; and
- (c) 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 (c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT   REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  2542  BY  DR.  MOHAMMAD  JAWED  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK SABHA ON 07.08.2024 REGARDING OVERCROWDING ON TRAINS ORIGINATING FROM BIHAR

(a) to (c)  To cater to the travelling needs of passengers, Indian Railways (IR), operates  various  types  of regular  time-tabled trains  e.g.  Suburban,  short distance  Passenger  trains,  long  distance/Mail/Express/  Superfast  trains  with different composition catering to different segments of passengers.

In  its  constant  endeavour  to  provide  additional  accommodation  to  travelling passengers,  IR  operates  Special  train  services  during  festivals,  holidays,  etc. and also augments the load of trains, both on permanent and temporary basis, to meet the additional demand.  These are on-going processes. Details of special trains operated are as follows:

|   Year |   Holi Special |   Summer Special | Chhath Special       |
|--------|----------------|------------------|----------------------|
|   2022 |            241 |             4599 | 2614                 |
|   2023 |            527 |             6369 | 4480                 |
|   2024 |            604 |            12919 | Festival in November |

Further,  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 nonAC coaches and 08 (eight) AC-Coaches, in a train of 22  coaches. Of  the total number of Coaches being presently utilised for running  of  train  services,  twothird are non-AC, and one-third are AC variants.

Additionally, Indian Railways have introduced Amrit Bharat services, which have modern State-of the Art technology, are equipped with advanced features 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.

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

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