IR has planned to make Economy AC coaches to replace Non AC coaches. 3ACE to replace SL but later priced it almost equal to 3AC which destroyed the purpose of design. The fare should be between present SL and 3AC so that people who can afford can upgrade to 3ACE. If 3ACE is priced lower then they can replace half of SL in first few years then half in another years which is a gradual phase may be in 5 yrs from 2024 to 2028 but they choose to completely ignore the ground facts.and went for 10 3AC coaches in place of SL and only 2GS. ACCE inplace of GS should have been designed and put in simultaneously is not rolled out. Now they have designed AC SLR coach which went for trails. According to Shubham Kumar youtuber who makes videos on Railways technically recently SL coaches...
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are tested for 160kmph and results and recommendations are to be submitted to RSDO. Earlier there was talk the present track cannot be upgraded to 130kmph as bridges won't support but the reality is in VSKP Vijayawada half of the minor bridges are still rock built with base foundation British era about 75-100 yrs old and 130kmph Vande Bharat is running and tested for 143kmph. For 160kmph they need to reduce the concrete sleeper gap and lay heavier density Rails.

Nine steps for Zero Wait List in IR


Step 1 - Rationalisation of passenger trains

Merge...
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all the similar category trains into a generic name.

(i) Type of trains like Duronto, Humsafar, SK, Rajdhani, Tejas Rajdhani, Vande Bharat Sleeper, etc are one category - "Tejas Bharat" trains.

(ii) All long distance trains above 200 kms like Mail, Express, Antyodaya, Vivek, passenger, etc as "Express Bharat" Trains with commuting average speed of less than 60 kmph.

(iii) Trains in SuperFast and Garib rath category can continue as "SF Bharat" trains with minimum 60 kmph average speeds

(iv) Shatabdhi, Vande Bharat, Gatiman, Etc are in "Vande Bharat" trains.

(v) Jan shatabdhi, Intercity, Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, Double Decker, etc in the " Namo Bharat RR" Trains category.

(vi) All passenger trains, MEMU, DEMUs, etc can be combined into one category "Jan Bharat".

(vii) All local trains will continue as " Pranthiya Bharat" trains.

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Step 2 - Rationalisation of number of intermediate stops, irrespective of travel distance.

(i) All AC SF trains with maximum 6 intermediate stops

(ii) All Super Fast Category trains with maximum 10 intermediate stops

(iii) All Express trains with maximum 15 intermediate stops

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Step 3 - Train rake lengths to 22

All long distance trains including AC SF trains, Super Fast trains and Express trains to have 22 rakes. Removal of luggage cars, pantry cars, Generator cars ( by making HOG engines) and operate separate parcel trains.

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Step 4 - Dedicate two years of production to introduce new trains.

Around 6000 LHB SL, 3A and 2A coaches can be produced per year and for next two years around 12000 coaches, I e., 546 train rakes or 273 daily pairs of trains can be introduced in the system and thus the capacity of 8 lakhs reserved seats can be added to the system. This can be achieved by stalling LHB conversion for two years. There will be zero wait list after implementing this step. Additional revenue per annum would be 12000 coaches * 72 berths * 365 days * 1000 per ticket = Rs 31536 crores or at 80 percent occupancy at least 25000 crores.

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Step 5 - 200 trains of 24 rake length of Vande Sleeper coaches to be introduced in all non-rajdhani routes.

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Step 6 - Namo Bharat Rapid Rail - 750 rakes

Produce only Namo Bharat Rapid Rail at Latur / Khazipet new coach factories at speed of 1800 coaches (or 150 rakes) per year, and in 5 years can reach a target of 9000 coaches or 750 rakes. IR has around 68,584 Route KM as of 2024 and may reach 75,000 Route KM in 5 years.

Let us say Namo Bharat RR will cover a distance of 200 km. For example between Mumbai to Chennai of approx 1280 km, we can split into 6 sections of 215 km each. Sections could be approx, Mumbai - Pune (190km), Pune - Solapur (264:km), Solapur - Raichur (257 km), Raichur - Gooty (150km), Gooty - Kadapa (156 km), Kadapa - MGR Chennai Central (266 km). Each section can be covered by two Namo Bharat RR trains in either direction, with three trips per day, I.e., total 6 trips * 3500 passengers per trip. So, each section of 200 kms can be covered with two Namo Bharat RR rakes and carry 21,000 passengers per day.

So 75,000 Route KM require around 375 * 2 = 750 Namo Bharat RR rakes. This would make the short distance unreserved passengers of around 750 * 10500 = 78.75 lakh passengers per day.

These trains would take away the load of unreserved passengers and over crowding long distance trains.

Also, the intermediate stops of Tejas Bharat, SuperFast and Express trains can be limited to 6, 10 and 15 respectively and improve average speeds of these trains to 75, 60 and 50 kmph respectively.

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Step 7 - Continue production of Vande Bharat trains at 50 rakes per year and of 16 coach length. Introduce them based on actual passenger load only.

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Step 8 - Introduce passenger ticket vendors cum checkers

On all passenger, Memu, express train General coaches, etc on permanent basis. Say around 6,000 daily trains * 3 = 18000 Ticket checkers cum vendors and add revenue. Definitely, the additional revenue more than compensate the salaries. One ticket checker issuing 10 tickets per day is enough to recover the salary expenses, from ticket less passengers.

Step 9 - Removal of arbitrary blocking of reservation berths in all trains

There are numerous and undesirable blockage of berths for various categories of people including journalists, MLA, MP, Judiciary, State admin, central admin, etc etc in railway booking. One can remove or make these reservation limited to 3 percent of total berths in a train. In each long distance trains close to 50 berths are released if not taken, at the last minute. That's why people book wait listed tickets and keep waiting. Arbitrary and can be reviewed thoroughly before limiting to 2 or 3 percent for such emergency work of key departments and internal railway consumption.