New Delhi: Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, highlighted major initiatives and achievements of the Indian Railways during a session in the Lok Sabha. He detailed efforts to improve passenger convenience, operational efficiency, and recruitment transparency, alongside initiatives addressing the needs of economically weaker sections.
Vaishnaw announced the production of 12,000 general coaches to meet growing demand, with 900 already manufactured this year.
He noted that Northern Railway had added 75 general coaches to 29 train services as of December.
A balanced coach allocation ratio of 2:3 for non-AC and 1:3 for AC coaches was emphasised to cater to diverse passenger needs.
For the upcoming Mahakumbh, 13,000 trains are planned to accommodate increased travel demand. He also highlighted the success of festival special trains during Chhath and Diwali, which carried nearly 1.8
crore passengers.
Vaishnaw introduced the Amrit Bharat train series, offering advanced features for non-AC passengers, and announced plans to expand the Namo Bharat regional train initiative for short-distance travel.