Overcrowding In Trains: What The Railways Minister Said
The issue of overcrowding in trains remains a pressing concern, especially on popular routes during peak travel seasons. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, responding to a query by DMK member Kanimozhi in the Lok Sabha, detailed the measures being undertaken to manage the heavy demand and improve passenger accommodation.
Vaishnaw stated that train occupancy patterns fluctuate throughout the year, with peak seasons seeing full bookings while certain routes experience lower demand during lean periods. To address this, Indian Railways (IR) continuously monitors traffic patterns and adjusts services accordingly. This includes running additional trains, increasing train frequency, and augmenting coach capacities whenever feasible, the minister said.
Special train services have been a key strategy to handle high demand during festivals and holiday seasons. In 2024 alone, IR operated 13,523 special train trips for Holi and summer vacations. Additionally, 7,990 special train trips were introduced between October and November 2024 to accommodate around 1.8 crore passengers travelling during Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath festivities. To support the recently concluded Maha Kumbh, IR ran over 17,300 trains from 13 January to 28 February 2025, catering to approximately 4.24 crore passengers.
The Railway Minister also highlighted the augmentation of existing train services. In 2023-24, 872 coaches were added to trains permanently, and by February 2025, another 983 coaches had been introduced for long-term use. The current policy mandates that in a standard 22-coach Mail or Express train, at least 12 coaches must be reserved for General and Sleeper Class passengers, while the remaining eight are AC coaches. Vaishnaw further noted that two-thirds of all coaches in operation are non-AC, ensuring continued focus on affordable travel options.
To enhance passenger experience in non-AC travel, Indian Railways has launched Amrit Bharat trains. These modern, fully non-AC trains feature 12 Sleeper Class and 8 General Class coaches and come equipped with advanced features such as semi-permanent couplers for a smoother ride, foldable snack tables, mobile holders, and horizontal sliding windows.
For those travelling in unreserved coaches, Indian Railways has attached about 1,200 General Class coaches to Mail and Express trains operating with Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches in the current financial year. Looking ahead, IR has set a target to manufacture more than 17,000 General and Sleeper Class (Non-AC) coaches to meet the growing demand.
The Rail Coach Factories have already built 6,485 coaches in the financial year 2024-25 (as of February 2025) and are set to ramp up production in the next year. With these efforts, the Railways aims to ease overcrowding and improve passenger convenience while balancing the demand across different travel classes.
