The Western Railway is running more trains like the Rajdhani Express to clear its waiting lists and woo passengers.
The battle between the airlines and the railways just got fiercer. This winter, the Western Railway is running more swank trains like the Rajdhani Express to clear its waiting lists and woo maximum number of passengers, especially on Diwali.
According to a senior official, Western Railway has been running the Rajdhani-type fully air-conditioned super fast bi-weekly trains between Mumbai Central and New Delhi with great success.
The 0901 Mumbai Central-New Delhi bi-weekly winter special leaves from Mumbai Central every Monday and Friday at 7.45pm to reach New Delhi at 5.10pm the next day. The service, which started in mid-October, will be available for this entire month, till November 29.
The train has special German-design coaches called Linke Holfmann Bush (LHB) coaches, with Italian-design Fiat wheel sets. Many of these coaches are maintained at the Coach Care Unit at Mumbai Central.
The coaches look very much like aircraft, thanks to their screwless panels, large-size racks capable to carry more luggage, and in-built halogen reading lamps, similar to the ones in aircraft. The train is also equipped with micro-processor controlled air-conditioners and humidity control system.
“More trains mean lesser waiting lists, and hence
the railways are keen on running special trains for the convenience of the passengers. It is a normal trend that passengers move to flying when they are not able to
get a confirmed ticket. This is where the concept of running such season specials comes, so that we can cut down waiting lists and encourage more passengers for rail travel,” a senior official added.
The train, which will have first AC, AC 2-tier and AC 3-tier coaches, will target flyers and accommodate a larger number of passengers, who, in case of non-availability of berths, are forced to travel by air.
The train, known to be one of the fastest in Western Railway, has become a popular choice for those who travel between the country’s capital and Mumbai, the country’s financial capital. It has turned out to be a viable alternative for fliers too.
“The railways and airlines have been fighting over the Mumbai-Delhi fare too. The railways had slashed the prices of the Rajdhani Express, as low-cost airlines had lowered their rates. The airlines had then further reduced prices, leading to an aggressive battle a few years ago. Increasing the number of trains is their latest trick,” a senior railway manager said.
The continuing fare tussle between the railways and low-cost airlines has changed the contemporary scenario for the average commuter since the last decade. Low-cost carriers have made flying affordable for Indians travelling across the country. The railways have been aggressively trying to retain passengers.
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