Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday in Parliament that a special manufacturing programme has been launched with an aim to produce 12,000 general coaches. The move is to meet the growing demand for general coaches.
Of this, 900 have already been added this financial year, with a target of manufacturing 10,000 more, ensuring convenience for unreserved category passengers, he added.
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The minister said the government emphasised a balanced focus on both economically weaker section and others by maintaining a ratio of 2:3 for non-AC coaches and 1:3 for AC coaches. He further said that the induction of the series of trains are designed entirely for non-AC passengers, and plans are underway to produce 50 additional Amrit Bharat trains after the successful operation of the initial fleet over the past ten months.
Vaishnaw also highlighted that two Namo Bharat trains are already operational, and after performance evaluations, large-scale production will be initiated.
Bharat trains are designed for short-distance city pairs with high-frequency shuttle services. Answering a question about the preparation for the upcoming Mahakumbh to be held in Prayagraj, he said, “A total of 13,000 trains have been planned to cater to the anticipated surge in passengers.”
“During the Chhath and Diwali festivals, approximately 7,900 special trains transported over 1 crore, 80 lakhs passengers,” he told the house.
Addressing demands for a structured recruitment process, the Minister said the Railways have introduced an annual calendar for exams. Recruitment for 58,642 positions is currently underway, with over 11 lakh candidates recently participating in the loco pilot selection process.
