Indian Railways has announced a significant change in the composition of trains to benefit the common man. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has confirmed that standard Mail and Express trains will now carry more non-AC coaches. This decision comes after passengers faced difficulties due to the reduction of Sleeper and General coaches in recent years.
What is the new coach composition plan?
According to the new policy, a standard 22-coach train will now feature a balanced mix of coaches to serve all sections of society. The Railway Board has set a target to include 12 non-AC coaches and 8 AC coaches in these trains. These non-AC coaches will include both Sleeper Class and General Unreserved compartments.
Previously, the number of Sleeper coaches in many trains had dropped to just five or six to make space for more AC bogies. This led to overcrowding and made travel difficult for lower-income passengers. The new structure aims to restore capacity for the general public.
The Ministry has also highlighted the Amrit Bharat Express trains as a key part of this strategy. These trains run as fully non-AC services, typically carrying about 12 Sleeper coaches and 8 General coaches to handle high passenger volumes on long routes comfortably.
How many new coaches are being built?
To implement this change swiftly, Indian Railways has sanctioned a massive production plan. The manufacturing units have been tasked with producing 10,000 non-AC coaches during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years.
The breakdown of this production includes over 5,300 General coaches and more than 3,380 Sleeper coaches. By adding these new coaches, the Railways intends to solve the issue of waitlisted tickets and overcrowded unreserved compartments.
Experts believe this move will also stop the issue of unreserved passengers entering AC coaches. With sufficient space in General and Sleeper classes, passengers will have affordable and comfortable options available for their journey.