Indian Railways Earns Rs 12,159 Crore from Festive Travel Surge
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New Delhi, Nov 28 (NationPress) Indian Railways generated a remarkable revenue of Rs 12,159.35 crore through ticket sales during the festive season, which ran from September 1 to October 31 of this year, as detailed in reports submitted to Parliament.
This two-month duration was highlighted by significant festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, and Diwali, periods that typically see a surge in railway travel.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw provided zone-specific data regarding ticket sales revenue in response to inquiries made in the Lok Sabha.
The data indicated that 143.71 crore passengers utilized railway services from September 1 to November 10. The central zone recorded the highest passenger numbers at 31.63 crore, followed by the western zone with 26.13 crore passengers, and the eastern zone with 24.67 crore passengers. The south-east central zone saw the least traffic with 1.48 crore passengers.
To manage the festive travel demand, the railways introduced 7,663 additional special train services from October 1 to November 30, marking a 73 per cent increase compared to the same timeframe in 2023. In the previous year, only 4,429 extra train trips were conducted during this season.
During the Diwali and Chhath celebrations from October 24 to November 4, a total of 957.24 lakh non-suburban passengers were transported, up from 923.33 lakh passengers during the same time last year, an increase of 33.91 lakh passengers.
On November 4 alone, more than 1.2 crore passengers traveled using the services, including 19.43 lakh reserved and over 1.01 crore unreserved non-suburban passengers, setting a new record for the highest single-day passenger count this year.
As per a statement from the Railway Board earlier this month, 207 special trains were operational on November 3 and 203 on November 4 to accommodate the influx of travelers.
The rising passenger numbers also reflect an uptick in economic activity within a flourishing economy, as more individuals are transitioning from rural to urban settings for job opportunities and returning home to celebrate traditional festivals.
