New Delhi: The percentage of non-AC coaches in trains run by Indian Railways has significantly increased to about 70 per cent, and a special manufacturing programme is being implemented to produce an additional 17,000 non-AC general and sleeper coaches over the next 5 years, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament on Wednesday.
Indian Railways have significantly increased the facilities for passengers demanding general class travel.
During the last financial year 2024-25 alone, 1,250 general coaches have been utilised in various long-distance trains.
Indian Railways continues to run a large number of trains with affordable fare structures, including Mail, Express and passenger trains, for the benefit of the general public including the poor and lower middle class.
Indian Railways has introduced non-AC Amrit Bharat services and Namo Bharat Rapid Rail services, providing high quality services to a larger section of the population, particularly lower income groups, the minister said.
Indian Railways has also provisioned for production of another 100 Amrit Bharat Trains, he added.
Vaishnaw highlighted that due to higher availability of general coaches, the number of passengers travelling in general/unreserved coaches has shown an increasing trend, going up from 553 crore in 2022-23 to 609 crore in 2023-24 and 651 crore in 2024-25.
The number of seats available for non-AC passengers has now gone up to 54 lakh which constitutes 78 per cent of the total while AC seats comprise the remaining 22 per cent.
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 General class & Sleeper class non- AC coaches and 8 AC-Coaches, in a train of 22 coaches, thereby providing greater accommodation for the passengers using General and non-AC Sleeper Coaches, Vaishnaw explained.
Further, to cater to the needs of passengers desirous of availing unreserved accommodation, Indian Railways operate unreserved non-AC passenger trains/MEMU/EMU etc. for affordable travel, which are in addition to the unreserved accommodation (coaches) available in Mail/Express services.
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, the minister further stated.
Indian Railways has introduced fully non-AC Amrit Bharat trains, presently comprising 11 General Class coaches, 8 Sleeper Class coaches, 1 Pantry car and 2 Second class cum Luggage cum Guard Van & Disabled Friendly Compartment.
These trains have been designed and manufactured to cater to the needs of the general public by providing world-class modern and comfortable rail travel experience to passengers of the non-AC segment.
(IANS)
