The provision is not being done away, the Ministry of Railways stated, thus putting an end to specualtions that the waiting list in trains would come to an end in 2024.
NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways quashed reports that suggested that the national carried would do away with the waiting list with effect from 2024. Issuing a clarification a day after the release of the national Rail plan, the Ministry of Railways stated that the document did not indicate that the Indian Railways would end the passenger waiting list in trains.
‘Waitlist’ is a provision which act as a buffer to mitigate the fluctuations in demand and availability, the ministry stated. “Railways would like to explain and clarify that efforts are being made to increase the capacity to make trains available on demand. This would reduce the possibility of passengers getting waitlisted.”
Recently, several media reports claimed that the Indian Railways would end the waiting list in trains with effect from 2024 in a particular media wing and that the Indian Railways plans to run demand-based passenger trains while raising its share in freight movement from 27 per cent now to 45 per cent by 2030 as part of its draft National Rail Plan.
The passenger trains services, however, are yet to achieve pre-COVID levels, the Indian Railways is trying to improve its capacity. Currently, Indian Railways is running 1,089 passenger trains compared to 1,768 trains prior to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Indian Railways is preparing a National Rail Plan 2030 which will be out for Public Consultations and feedback from Stakeholders and various ministries. NRP 2030 aims to provide confirmed rail tickets to every passengers implying that there will be no waitlisted tickets.
Among other things, the National Rail Plan 2030 will also focus on building infra and generating more revenues for the Indian Railways- such that capacity is beyond the demand.
NRP 2030 implementation will lead Railways to increase the Freight loading and revenues. Railway is targetting for Railway freight movement of 47% of the total freight movement in country. Railway plans to build 4 more Dedicated Freight Corridor by 2030.
