Fares of private trains to be competitive with airlines

NEW DELHI: A day after inviting the request for qualifications from private entities for running 151 trains on 109 pairs of routes, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav on Thursday said the private train operations would begin by April 2023 and the fares in these trains would be competitive with air fares on similar routes.

Addressing a virtual press conference, Yadav said that the private players in passenger train operations would mean a quantum jump in the introduction of modern technology and high-speed coaches.

The improvement in technology would also mean that the coaches that required maintenance after 4,000 km, would need maintenance after every 40,000 km, that's either once or twice a month, he added.

Yadav added that the train sets would have to be brought by private operators and maintained by them.

"Private train operations are likely to begin by April 2023. All coaches will be procured under the 'Make in India' policy. Fares in private trains will be competitive and rates on other modes of transport, like airlines and buses, will have to be kept in mind," he said.

The Chairman said the 150 modern world-class trains would be introduced by the private firms under the 'Make in India' initiative.

Yadav also said the private operators would pay fixed haulage charges for path, stations, access to railway infrastructure and charges for electricity consumed to the Indian Railways for 35 years. It will also share revenue with the Indian Railways through competitive bidding.

The private entity would have to ensure 95 per cent punctuality and not more than one failure per lakh kilometre of travel. "If any performance indicators are not met by private players, they will be penalised," Yadav said.

He also said there would be a power metre in every locomotive and private operators would pay for the actual amount of energy consumed.

The Chairman said of the 2,800 mail express train operated by the railways, only 151 trains, just 5 per cent, was being given to the private players.

"Through this the common man will get better trains, better technology and at low cost. The Indian Railways will continue to run 95 per cent of the trains," he said.

Yadav said, "The idea of private trains is that we should be able to offer a confirmed seat to all passengers on all major high-demand routes. The additional trains, over and above what Indian Railways is running, will help cater to the unmet demand."

The railways aimed to achieve that by introducing private trains on key railway routes, he added.

The railways on Wednesday it planned to allow private entities to operate passenger trains and the project would entail private sector investment of about Rs 30,000 crore. (IANS)

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