Indian Railways has been actively ramping up its resources in response to the increasing number of passengers on trains. According to railway officials, there has been a significant surge in the number of travelers in sleeper and general class coaches over the last six months. Statistics from the railways indicate that between April 1st and October 30th of this year, 95.3% of travelers journeyed in general and sleeper class coaches, while only 4.7% opted for AC coaches.
Surge in Passenger Count Over the Last Six Months
Indian Railways released a statement revealing that in the past six months, a total of 373 million passengers traveled in general and sleeper class coaches. This figure marks a staggering increase of 38 million compared to the previous year’s count of 334 million during the same period.
Decreased Preference for AC Coaches Due to Expensive Tickets
Conversely, the number of individuals opting for AC coaches reached 18.2 million this year between April 1st and October 31st. This number reflects an increase of 3.1 million from the previous year’s count of 15.1 million passengers during the same period. Railway officials note that compared to last year, there has been an increase of 41.1 million passengers in the last six months, with 92.5% of these passengers favoring non-AC travel.
The surge in passenger numbers has prompted Indian Railways to operate an additional 562 trains daily compared to normal days before the onset of the pandemic. This strategic increase in train services aims to accommodate the rising number of passengers.
The statistics highlight a significant shift in passenger preference across different coach classes, with a substantial inclination towards general and sleeper class travel over AC coaches.
