India Accelerates Modernization of Railway Transport: Plan to Purchase 10,000 Passenger Coaches

The Ministry of Railways of India has launched an ambitious project aimed at significantly increasing the passenger coach fleet, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Over the next two years, it plans to purchase 10,000 non-air-conditioned coaches, which is twice the number of coaches acquired in the last two years.

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These coaches are intended to improve passenger transportation and meet the growing demand for rail travel in the country.

By the end of the current fiscal year (April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025), it is planned to purchase 4,500 passenger coaches.

Of these, 2,600 will be general-purpose coaches, including those intended for Amrit Bharat trains, 1,400 will be sleeper coaches, 323 will be luggage vans, and 55 will be special baggage vans.

In the next fiscal year, it is planned to purchase another 5,400 non-air-conditioned coaches.

The majority of the new purchases, around 5,300 coaches, will be general-purpose coaches, which offer the lowest level of comfort.

However, their high passenger capacity makes them indispensable for transport on the IR network. Such coaches are in demand among passengers, despite the fact that tickets for them are sold without seat reservations, and the number of passengers often exceeds the seating capacity.

In recent years, India has been actively working on modernizing its railway transport.

In March 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced plans to introduce 4,500 new Vande Bharat electric trains by 2047.

In addition, 1,000 Amrit Bharat trains, which are more cost-effective, are planned to be purchased.

These measures are aimed at meeting passenger needs and increasing the efficiency of rail transport in the country.

Updating the coach fleet and introducing new trains reflect India’s commitment to developing and modernizing its railway infrastructure.

Photo: Sameer2905 / commons.wikimedia.org

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