Lok Sabha Question No. 3158 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-16
Subject: Over-crowded Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAMA DEVI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3158 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2016

## OVER-CROWDED TRAINS

†3158.  SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the over-crowding in general compartments of mail/express and passenger trains;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has taken any steps to increase the number of general bogies as well as to improve the facilities in general bogies  to  facilitate  easy  travel  by  the  general  public  and  if  so,  the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the names of trains running through Bihar which are over-crowded as on date;
- (d)  the  funds  allocated  for  improvement of general bogies during the last three years; and
- (e) the details of safety measures the Government proposes to take to curb accidents due to over-crowding?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a): On Indian Railways, the demand pattern is not uniform throughout the year and it varies during the peak and lean seasons. The demand for  travel  surges  during  the  peak  season  like  summer  holidays, festivals etc. when the number of passengers in general compartments tend to increase.

- (b):    During  the  period  2015-16  (up  to  January,  2016),  total  884 coaches have been attached in existing trains on permanent basis, out of which 370 coaches are General Class coaches which is about 40% of the total augmentation done during the period.

Further, it has been proposed in the Railway Budget 2016-17 to

introduce  the  Antyodaya  Express,  a  long-distance,  fully  unreserved, superfast train service, and also to add Deen Dayalu coaches (General Class coaches) in some long distance trains for unreserved travel to enhance our carrying capacity for the general public.

As  a  part  of  continual  improvement  in  passenger  amenities  in trains, following actions have been taken by Indian Railways:

- i. Provision of cushioned seats/berths in General Second class non-Airconditioned coaches.
- ii. Besides  making  provision  of  dustbins,  it  has  also  been decided to provide stainless steel mugs with chain arrangements in non-Airconditioned coaches including General Second class coaches.

(c):  State-wise  statistics  of  number  of  passengers  is  not  maintained. Since  unreserved  tickets  issued  for  general  compartments  are  not train-specific,  train  specific  data  is  not  available.  However,  overall occupancy of all reserved trains during  the  month  of  February,  2016 was approximately 100%.

(d):  Consolidated  funds  are  allotted  for  maintenance  of  all  coaches including  general  coaches  and  no  separate  funds  specifically  for general coaches are assigned.

(e): Indian Railways, as a matter of policy, have already decided that the  Mail/Express  trains  (except  fully  reserved  trains  like  Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, etc.) introduced after 2007-08, shall have 6 general feasibility. Besides, to cater to the travelling needs of General Class passengers, Indian Railways operate fully unreserved services like Jan Sadharan, Janseva, Jan Nayak Express etc. in addition to Passenger trains and class coaches  in their standard composition as per Intercity services for short distance travel.

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