**Executive Summary:**
The Ministry of Railways addresses concerns regarding overcrowding in general coaches. Indian Railways has increased facilities for general/sleeper class travel by utilizing 1250 general coaches in long-distance trains in the last financial year 2024-25. Indian Railways plans to add 17,000 non-AC coaches over the next 5 years. The railways operate special trains during peak seasons and monitor traffic patterns to address passenger demand.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Coach Distribution and Availability:**
* As of March 31, 2025, approximately 70% of coaches are non-AC (57,200), while 30% are AC (25,000). The total number of coaches is 82,200.
* The number of non-AC coaches increased from approximately 48,500 in 2013-14 to 57,200 in 2024-25.
* The number of seats available for non-AC passengers is 54 lakhs (78%), while AC seats are 15 lakhs (22%). The total number of seats is 69 lakhs.
* **Passenger Volume in General Coaches:**
* The number of passengers traveling in general unreserved coaches has shown an increasing trend:
* 2020-21: 99 Cr (Covid year)
* 2021-22: 275 Cr (Covid year)
* 2022-23: 553 Cr
* 2023-24: 609 Cr
* 2024-25: 651 Cr
* **Amrit Bharat Express:**
* A fully non-AC modern train with enhanced features and safety standards.
* 14 services are already in operation.
* Composition: 11 General Class coaches, 8 Sleeper Class coaches, 1 Pantry car, and 2 Luggage cum Divyangjan coaches.
* Enhanced features include better aesthetics, jerk-free couplers, improved crashworthiness, CCTV, improved toilets and ladders, LED lighting, USB charging, emergency talk-back, non-AC pantry, and sealed gangways.
* **Unreserved Travel Options:**
* Indian Railways operates unreserved non-AC passenger trains (MEMU/EMU) for affordable travel.
* The standard composition of Mail/Express trains includes 12 General/Sleeper class non-AC coaches and 8 AC coaches in a 22-coach train.
* **Special Trains:**
* Around 13,500 trips of special trains each year in 2024 and 2025 were operated during Holi and Summer vacation.
* 7,990 trips of special trains were operated from October 1, 2024, to November 30, 2024, for Durga Pooja/Deepawali/Chhath, serving approximately 1.8 crore passengers.
* Over 17,300 trains were operated during Maha Kumbh (January 13, 2025 to February 28, 2025), serving approximately 4.24 crore passengers.
* **Traffic Management:**
* Indian Railways monitors traffic patterns and augments existing trains, runs special trains, introduces new trains, and increases the frequency of existing trains based on operational feasibility.
**Impact Analysis:**
**Passengers (Low and Middle Income Families):**
* *Impact:* Increased availability of general and sleeper class coaches, along with the introduction of Amrit Bharat Express, aims to provide more affordable and comfortable travel options. Special trains during peak seasons help accommodate increased demand.
* *Action Required:* Passengers should utilize the increased number of general coaches and special trains during peak seasons.
**Indian Railways:**
* *Impact:* Required to manage the increasing demand for general class travel while maintaining safety and service standards.
* *Action Required:* Continue to monitor traffic patterns, augment train capacity, operate special trains, and introduce new trains as needed. Implement and maintain the enhanced features and safety standards of Amrit Bharat Express. Fulfil the plan to add 17,000 non-AC coaches over the next 5 years.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The government ministry responsible for the Indian Railways.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question was raised.
SHRI RAKESH RATHOR: Member of Parliament who raised the question about general coaches in trains.
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: The Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology who answered the question.
Indian Railways: The state-owned railway company of India.
Amrit Bharat Express: A fully non-AC modern train developed by Indian Railways.
MEMU trains: Mainline Electric Multiple Unit trains operated by Indian Railways.
Durga Pooja-Deepawali-Chhath: A series of festivals in India during which special trains were operated.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2813
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025
ADDITIONAL GENERAL COACHES IN TRAINS
†2813. SHRI RAKESH RATHOR:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the total number of general coaches in trains running in
the country during the last ten years, year-wise;
(b) whether the number of general coaches has declined over
the years and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the number of total new general coaches added to the
Railways fleet during the last ten years, year-wise;
(d) whether the Government is aware that a large number of
common citizens has failed to take railway journey due to
overcrowding in general coaches as well as the
passengers travelling have to face hardship and
sometimes their lives are also at risk due to travelling in
such overcrowding coaches; and
(e) if so, the efforts being made by the Government to address
this issue?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (e): Indian Railways (IR) have significantly increased the
facilities for passengers demanding general/sleeper class travel.
Page 1 of 5During the last financial year 2024-25 alone, 1250 general coaches
have been utilised in various long-distance trains.
To cater to the travel demand of the low and middle income
families, Indian Railways have taken up 17,000 non-AC coaches
(general/sleeper) over the next 5 years.
On Indian Railways, the percentage of non-AC coaches as on 31st
March 2025 is about 70% as indicated below:
Table 1: Distribution of coaches:
Non-AC coaches (general and ~57,200 ~70%
sleeper)
AC coaches ~25,000 ~30%
Total coaches ~82,200 100%
The number of non-AC coaches has increased from around 48,500 in
2013-14 to 57,200 in 2024-25.
Due to higher availability of general coaches, the number of
passengers traveling in general/ unreserved coaches has shown an
increasing trend as shown below:
Table 2: Passengers in general/unreserved coaches:
Year No. of Passengers
2020-21 99 Cr (Covid year)
2021-22 275 Cr (Covid year)
2022-23 553 Cr
2023-24 609 Cr
2024-25 651 Cr
Page 2 of 5The number of seats available for non-AC passengers has also
increased over the years. The current composition is as follows:
Table 3: Distribution of seats:
Non-AC seats ~ 54 lakhs ~ 78%
AC seats ~ 15 lakhs ~ 22%
Total ~ 69 lakhs 100%
Given the above data, it is clear that Indian Railways is committed
to the low and middle income families who prefer railways as an
affordable means of transportation.
Amrit Bharat Express:
Railways have developed a fully non-AC modern train named as
Amrit Bharat express. Already 14 services are in operation. The
present composition of Amrit Bharat consists of 11 General Class
coaches, 8 Sleeper Class coaches, 01 Pantry car and 02 Luggage
cum Divyangjan coaches.
High Speed and enhanced Safety standards are the hallmarks of
these trains with following enhanced features and amenities:
i. Better aesthetics of seat and berths with enhanced look &
feel on the lines of Vande Bharat Sleeper.
ii. Jerk Free Semi-Automatic Couplers.
iii. Improved Crashworthiness in coaches by provision of
crash tube.
iv. Provision of CCTV system in all coaches and Luggage
room.
v. Improved designs of toilets.
vi. Improved design of Ladder for ease of climbing on to the
berth.
vii. Improved LED Light fitting & Charging Sockets.
viii. Provision of EP assisted braking system.
ix. Aerosol based fire suppression system in toilets and
electrical cubicles.
Page 3 of 5x. USB Type-A and Type-C mobile charging sockets.
xi. Emergency Talk Back system for two-way communication
between Passenger and Guard/Train Manager.
xii. Non-AC pantry with enhanced heating capacity.
xiii. Fully sealed gangways with quick release mechanism for
easy attachment and detachment.
Development of Amrit Bharat Express trains, manufacturing of
MEMU trains, and increasing the share of general coaches clearly
shows that Indian Railways is catering effectively to the demand for
travel in general class.
Further, to cater to the needs of passengers desirous of availing
unreserved accommodation, Indian Railways (IR) operate
unreserved non-AC passenger trains/ MEMU / EMU etc. for affordable
travel, which are in addition to the unreserved accommodation
(coaches) available in Mail/Express services.
Standard Composition:
To provide greater accommodation for the passengers using
General and non-AC Sleeper Coaches, the extant policy regarding
composition of Mail/Express trains provides for 12 (Twelve) General
class & Sleeper class non-AC coaches and 08 (eight) AC-Coaches, in
a train of 22 coaches.
Special trains:
During the years 2024 and 2025 around 13,500 trips of special trains
each year were operated to meet the extra rush of passengers
during Holi and Summer vacation. To cater to the rush during Durga
Pooja/Deepawali/Chhath, 7,990 trips of Special trains were
operated during the period 1st October,2024 to 30th November,
2024, to serve approximately 1.8 crore passengers.
With a view to facilitate the passengers during the recently
concluded Maha Kumbh, IR operated more than 17,300 trains during
the period 13th January, 2025 to 28th February, 2025, which served
approximately 4.24 crore passengers.
Page 4 of 5On Indian Railways, occupancy pattern of trains is not uniform
throughout the year and it varies over lean and peak periods. During
peak rush periods, the occupancy of the trains especially on popular
routes remains full whereas during lean period and on less popular
routes, there is sub optimal utilization.
Traffic pattern of the trains running on Indian Railways is monitored
on regular basis and to cater to additional demand, load of existing
trains are augmented, special trains are run, new trains are
introduced, frequency of existing trains is increased etc. subject to
operational feasibility.
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