Launched in April, AC suburban train services fail to attract commuters
The first air-conditioned suburban train service, launched by the Southern Railway in April, has failed to garner positive response from the commuters, despite the sweltering heat.
The 12-car AC electric multiple unit (EMU), operated on the Beach-Chengalpattu via Tambaram route, does not carry even half the sitting capacity (1,120 persons), with the average patronage being only 1,500 commuters per day. While the Metro services in the city reach full capacity during peak hours, the AC EMU is yet to touch even 50% of its total carrying capacity (3,798 persons).
The AC EMU services were allotted to the Chennai Division after several requests.and a second unit is expected.
Designed like Metro trains with automatic door system, the EMUs have vestibular coaches, stainless steel seats, and fans for additional air circulation.
On one hand, commuters point to the high fare, while on the other, transport activists attribute the lukewarm response to poor planning of operations.
Dayanand Krishnan, a train enthusiast and resident of Chitlapakkam, cites the exorbitant fare as the probable reason for poor patronage.
In a petition to the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mr. Krishnan sought reduction of the fare, which has been fixed at ₹85 from Beach to Tambaram, and ₹105 from Chengalpattu to Beach.
Comparing the city's AC EMUs with the Vande Metro operating from Bhuj to Anjar in Gujarat, he said the latter, which had a far better technology with ergonomic seats, charged only ₹55 for a 42-km ride as against the ₹85 for a 30-km ride between Tambaram and Beach.
While the minimum fare is fixed at ₹35 for up to 10 km, the monthly season ticket price is fixed at ₹2,115 from Beach to Chengalpattu, and ₹1,705 from Beach to Tambaram.
Regular commuters said better planning of operations could increase patronage of the services.
At present, the AC EMU, which is attached to the Tambaram shed, is being operated on a longer route — from Beach to Chengalpattu — involving a travel time of more than one-and-a-half hours. It is also operated for 10 services only.
T. Raghunathan, a regular suburban commuter from Perungalathur, said they should be operated as short services from Tambaram to Beach rather than till Chengalpattu. He called for more services during morning and evening peak hours, parallel to the suburban services, which are usually jam-packed.
The commuters also want the AC EMU services to be operated on the west section, at least between Beach and Avadi.
A senior official of the Chennai Division said the AC EMU fare had been fixed based on ones charged for AC train services in Mumbai.
He added that they would examine the feasibility of operating more services from Beach to Tambaram.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
8 hours ago
- Hans India
No fare hikes up to 500 km for ordinary class travel: Railways
New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways on Monday announced a new fare structure for passenger train services, which will come into effect from July 1. One of the key highlights of the revised structure is that there will be no increase in fares for ordinary non-AC class passengers travelling up to 500 kilometres. The fare rationalisation aims to streamline the existing fare system and improve the financial health of passenger services. The updated fare chart has been issued by the Indian Railway Conference Association (IRCA) and will be applicable across various categories of trains and classes. For ordinary non-suburban trains, there will be a marginal increase in fares beyond 500 kilometres. In second-class coaches, the fare will go up by Rs 5 for journeys between 501 and 1,500 km, Rs 10 for distances between 1,501 and 2,500 km, and Rs 15 for 2,501 to 3,000 km. Sleeper class and first-class fares in non-suburban trains will also increase slightly, by 0.5 paisa per kilometre. In Mail and Express trains (non-AC classes), second class, sleeper class, and first class fares will see a uniform hike of 1 paisa per kilometre. For AC classes, including Chair Car, 3-Tier, 2-Tier, AC First, Executive Class, and Anubhuti Class, the increase will be 2 paisa per kilometre. The fare changes will also apply to special and premium trains such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Tejas, Humsafar, Amrit Bharat, Mahamana, Gatimaan, Antyodaya, Jan Shatabdi, Yuva Express, and trains with AC Vistadome and Anubhuti coaches. There will be no change in suburban ticket fares or season tickets, whether suburban or non-suburban. Additionally, reservation fees, superfast surcharges, and other charges will remain unchanged. GST will continue to be levied as per existing rules, and rounding-off principles for fares will remain the same. The revised fares will apply only to tickets booked on or after July 1. Tickets issued before this date will remain valid at the old rates, and passengers will not need to pay any fare difference. The Indian Railways has directed all zones to ensure a smooth transition by updating their ticketing systems -- PRS (Passenger Reservation System), UTS (Unreserved Ticketing System), and manual counters -- and by updating fare boards at stations across the country.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
No more last-minute surprises: Indian Railways to release reservation charts 8 hours in advance
Starting July 1, Indian Railways is rolling out major changes to its ticketing system aimed at improving transparency, efficiency, and passenger convenience. Among the key updates is a new rule: reservation charts will now be prepared eight hours before a train's departure, rather than the previous four-hour window. This move is expected to help waitlisted passengers by giving them more time to arrange alternate travel if their ticket doesn't get confirmed. For early-morning trains, charts will be prepared the previous night, offering greater clarity and reducing last-minute uncertainty. The Railway Board proposed the changes last week and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed their implementation "in a phased manner so that there is no disruption". The Railway Board is expected to announce the rollout plan shortly. In an official statement, the Ministry noted that the current system of preparing reservation charts just four hours before departure often leaves passengers uncertain about their travel status. By shifting the charting timeline to eight hours before departure, waitlisted passengers will receive updates much earlier. Read more: 10 favourite Indian destinations for backpacking under INR 800 a day This change is particularly beneficial for those traveling from remote areas or the outskirts of major cities to board long-distance trains. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo The extended window will also give passengers more time to make alternate travel arrangements if their tickets remain unconfirmed. In addition to charting changes, the Ministry of Railways is also modernizing the Passenger Reservation System (PRS). A new high-capacity PRS is being developed by CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems) and is expected to be fully operational by December 2025. This upgraded system will be capable of processing 1.5 lakh ticket bookings per minute and handling 4 million enquiries per minute, a significant leap from current capacity. Read more: O-1 Visa vs H-1B Visa: What's the difference between the two The revamped PRS will also offer features like multilingual support, fare calendar view, seat preferences, and dedicated booking windows for students, Divyangjan (persons with disabilities), and medical patients. Another big change comes to the Tatkal ticketing system. From July 1, Tatkal bookings will require Aadhaar verification and OTP-based login, at least for the first 30 minutes of the booking window. This move is aimed at curbing misuse by agents and bots and ensuring fairer access for general passengers. The Railways has also indicated that more strict authentication protocols, like mandatory DigiLocker linkage, will be introduced later in July. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has stated that these changes are part of a broader effort to make the PRS 'intelligent, transparent, accessible and efficient.' Early pilot runs of these reforms in select zones have been successful, and the national rollout begins now.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
15 hours ago
- Business Standard
Railways to prepare reservation charts 8 hours in advance: 5 things to know
The Ministry of Railways has announced that reservation charts for long-distance trains will now be prepared eight hours before departure, instead of the current four hours. According to the ministry, this move will enable passengers travelling from remote locations to plan their journeys more effectively and will also reduce uncertainties for passengers whose tickets are on the waitlist. Here are 5 key features of the new Passenger Reservation System (PRS): 1. Faster ticket booking The updated Passenger Reservation System will support over 150,000 bookings per minute, a jump from the existing 32,000 tickets per minute. This marks nearly a nearly fivefold increase in booking speed. Starting July 1, 2025, only verified users will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets via the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website and mobile app. 3. New booking interface The new PRS will feature a multilingual and user-friendly interface. Passengers will be able to choose their seat preferences and view a fare calendar. The system also offers integrated services for students, patients, and the specially abled. 4. OTP-Based verification for Tatkal tickets From the end of July, Tatkal bookings will require OTP-based authentication. "The authentication should be done using Aadhaar or any other verifiable government ID available in the user's DigiLocker account," the ministry stated. 5. Boost to enquiry capacity The number of ticket enquiries the system can handle will be increased tenfold—from 400,000 to over 4 million per minute. The new PRS will also continue to allow users to select seat preferences and access fare details. The ministry said that the change would benefit passengers travelling from remote areas or the outskirts of major cities to catch long-distance trains. It added that the update would also give passengers more time to make alternative plans if their waitlisted tickets were not confirmed. This announcement comes amid a review meeting on passenger facilities conducted by Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Earlier, the ministry planned to follow a trial model from the Indian Railways ' Bikaner division, where reservation charts were made 24 hours before the train's departure.
