No More Waiting: Indian Railways Aims to Eliminate Waiting Lists by 2032
no more waiting: indian railways aims to eliminate waiting lists by 2032
New Delhi: Amid reports of overcrowding in trains, the Railway Ministry announced on Saturday that it aims to eliminate waiting lists by 2031-32, addressing the gap between the demand and supply of reserved seats.
According to sources from Times Now, the Railway Ministry highlighted a significant increase in train services and passenger numbers this summer. Compared to last year, ten times more trains were operational, accommodating an additional 40 million passengers during the summer season. The Ministry's goal is to ensure that all passengers can secure reserved seats without waiting by 2032.
Earlier on Friday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed the security punctuality and services in stations and trains during a meeting with members and officials of the Railway Board, zones and divisions.
At the high-level meeting, held through video-conferencing, the minister emphasized that safety and infrastructure are paramount and there cannot be any compromise on this front, officials said.
"A detailed discussion on all issues related to passenger safety and amenities took place. The special focus of the meeting was on ways to improve services as well as punctuality of trains and avoid overcrowding by identifying busy routes and introducing special trains on them," a senior railway official, who attended the meeting, said.
"Also, regular services of equipment such as ACs, fans, and water coolers at stations to be ensured during summer rush," he said. A divisional railway manager said the minister has emphasised that the punctual running of trains will go hand in hand with safety and passenger amenities.