Indian Railways has launched a significant initiative to augment the availability of general coaches, catering to the increasing demand from unreserved category passengers. As part of its commitment to improving facilities for economically weaker sections and others, Railways has prioritised the expansion of services by maintaining an optimal coach ratio. This includes a 2:3 ratio for non-AC coaches and a 1:3 ratio for AC coaches, ensuring better distribution of resources to meet the needs of diverse travellers.
To accommodate the growing demand for unreserved coaches, Railways has introduced a special manufacturing programme. As of this financial year, 1,914 additional coaches have already been added to the fleet. This includes 384 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) coaches and 185 Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) coaches, with the expansion expected to benefit nearly 72 lakh passengers. Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer at Indian Railways, stated that the initiative to increase general coach availability is progressing across all zones and divisions. The focus is on addressing the rising passenger demand for affordable travel options.
In the Western Railway zone alone, approximately 150 new general coaches have been added to 78 pairs of trains between July and December. This expansion is directly benefiting thousands of additional passengers daily, ensuring greater comfort and accessibility for unreserved travellers. This effort to enhance coach capacity underscores Indian Railways’ continued focus on inclusivity and convenience for all sections of the population, particularly the unreserved category, which forms a significant part of daily rail commuters.
