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The Railways' strategy of introducing a slew of Mumbai-Goa special trains including a double-decker to cash in on the Ganpati festival rush has turned out to be a 'financial disaster'. The premium market-controlled fare trains recording an occupancy of less than 20 per cent, while the normal special trains with fixed fares saw a good head count of anything between 80 to100 per cent on certain days.
This service was the biggest deployment of Ganpati special trains ever, with the railways running 214 Specials, a rise of 22 per cent from Ganpati season last year. Of these, 130 were reserved special, 46 were premium trains, of which 20 were double-deckers, and 38 were unreserved trains.
"The usual train services made about Rs 9 lakh, but the premium double-decker and the Shatabdi premium didn't make even Rs 4 lakh in some trips. It has been a financial disaster," said a senior railway official.
In fact, Konkan Railways has put out a press statement that if the trains' occupancy levels don't improve, the services will have to be withdrawn. "Running empty air-conditioned trains, that too on diesel, is financial suicide for the cash-strapped railways," said an official.
dna special: Railways' gamble fails, Mumbai-Goa trains running on empty | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis
In India trains running empty!!!! What is wrong?
Several dna reports had indicated that the decision to run premium trains might have not been the brightest. "The profile of the normal Ganpati traveler is more middle-class. He travels with his family. So paying for 5 to 6 AC premium seats might cost him his total travel budget. He will opt for the sleeper class at Rs 400 than a premium seat for Rs 1,000-odd," said an official.
This service was the biggest deployment of Ganpati special trains ever, with the railways running 214 Specials, a rise of 22 per cent from Ganpati season last year. Of these, 130 were reserved special, 46 were premium trains, of which 20 were double-deckers, and 38 were unreserved trains.
"The usual train services made about Rs 9 lakh, but the premium double-decker and the Shatabdi premium didn't make even Rs 4 lakh in some trips. It has been a financial disaster," said a senior railway official.
In fact, Konkan Railways has put out a press statement that if the trains' occupancy levels don't improve, the services will have to be withdrawn. "Running empty air-conditioned trains, that too on diesel, is financial suicide for the cash-strapped railways," said an official.
dna special: Railways' gamble fails, Mumbai-Goa trains running on empty | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis
In India trains running empty!!!! What is wrong?
Several dna reports had indicated that the decision to run premium trains might have not been the brightest. "The profile of the normal Ganpati traveler is more middle-class. He travels with his family. So paying for 5 to 6 AC premium seats might cost him his total travel budget. He will opt for the sleeper class at Rs 400 than a premium seat for Rs 1,000-odd," said an official.