A record number of Special trains are being run this year and almost all of them are special fare (higher than normal) or Suvidha trains. Then how can number of passengers and revenue as well could lower than previous year?
Poor occupancy of the special fare/ suvidha train?
Poor occupancy of premium trains now with flexi fares?
Or there is increase in the tatkal...
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quota in regular trains which may not be getting full?
Fall in number of passengers & revenue both in spite of larger number of trains (especially special/suvidha fare ones) & higher fares only indicate large number of vacant seats (ones with higher fare) in trains.
Todays newpapers reporting that the Central Govt is all set to roll out its ambitious scheme "UDAN" i.e. Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik, to promote cheaper regional air travel from 1st jan2017, things are only going to be worse of IR.
Luxury which IR had over the decades, of fixing fares at will, totally disregarding the reality & market situation is gone today. Earlier the fact is realised, better it shall be for IR. Today, in spite of inherent advantages & cost effectiveness of rail transport, the competitors (airline/ road operators) have caught up IR.
More emphasis is required to go for innovative/ path breaking/ radical changes/improvements in working, in order to tackle the bigger issues the sky high staff(salary+pension) costs (68% of total IR revenue) and subsidies (about 20% of total IR revenue), rather than putting in efforts to profiteer by exorbitantly charging a targeted class of passengers through schemes like Suvidha/ Flexi fare/ increasing the number of tatkal seats etc. which are proving to be counter productive.

मर्ज़ बढ़ता गया ज्यों ज्यों दवा की
This proverb fits on today's IR
And this is happening for last few years.
So shall we assume that all the revenue increase measures did more harm than good ?
Railway...
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is in Loss propaganda justified all types of price increase may it be PF, Pass Fare, Cancellation charges, Booking charges, Suvidha, Premium, Flexi, Refund and over of all service tax.
And honestly there's least improvement in passenger satisfaction index.
By not making fare rational with logical increase the MR has taken old route of backdoor price increase.
Off course IR has monopoly in Railways but these factors are giving deep wounds to her:
When passenger sees high fare he simply plans to stay back
When passenger finds high WL and then High fare he looks and moves to better and viable alternate mode of travel.
When passenger finds more attractive and similar or less expensive mode of travel he skips railways.
Same can be said about Fright.
And not only fare the in train loot by PC and vendors, delayed trains play deal breaker.