Vision 2020 - Transportation Research Group of India

Government of India
Ministry of Railways
(Railway Board)
Table-11: Composition of Passengers (2007-2008):
Passenger % PKMs (Million) % PKMs Revenue %
(Million)
(Crore)
Suburban (total) 3689 56.5 119842 15.6 1570 8.0
Non Suburban
Upper Class 65.6 1.0 40948 5.3 4308 21.8
Sleeper class M/E Ord. 222.4 3.5 157674 20.5 5026 25.4
Second class M/E 554.1 8.5 227161 29.5 5420 27.4
Second class Ord. 1993 30.5 224381 29.1 3459 17.5
Non- suburban (total) 2835 43.5 650114 84.4 18214 92.0
4.2.1 Demand for passenger services will continue to outstrip supply for some time to come owing to increasing
prosperity, urbanization and the attendant increase in propensity to travel. Train travel also has to be repositioned
and perceived as the mode of choice by passengers. Railways would aim at fully
meeting the demand. This would require close attention to the issues of speed, comfort, convenience,
choice, elimination of shortage, punctuality maintenance, elimination of equipment failures,
improved quality of service and a very pleasant travel experience overall right from booking of
ticket to disembarkation at the destination point.
4.2.2 To achieve the above, constraints on the trunk routes need to be eased and busy passenger service
corridors need to be segregated from the freight corridors by provision of separate dedicated double-line
tracks for each service. Routes approaching major cities need to be provided with additional lines to run
commuter services separately.
The speed on passenger corridors needs to be improved from 130 kmph (Rajdhani/Shatabdi) or 110
(other Express trains) to 160 to 200 kmph on trunk routes so that important inter-metro journeys like
Delhi-Kolkata and Delhi-Mumbai could be completed by overnight runs.
Manufacture of modern coaches to meet incremental as well as replacement requirements (at the rate of
1000 to 1200 coaches per annum) would be essential. Existing plans to expand the capacity at Integral
Coach Factory, Perambur and Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala and set up new manufacturing facilities at
Rae Bareily, Palghat and Kanchrapara need to be implemented in time. High-horse power locomotives
need to be inducted into coaching service to improve speeds and punctuality.
The maintenance regime would need to be reviewed to optimize utilization of coaches. Terminal and
maintenance facilities, remodeling of coaching terminal yards would also require commensurate
investment.
4.2.3 Passenger trains can also be positioned and targeted at novel uses. Specially designed trains can act as
business centres on wheels or carriers and disseminators of cultural and scientific awareness. Indian
Railways is already doing this in a small way through tourist trains, Lifeline express and the Red-Ribbon
Express. These segments can be expanded.
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