South Western Railway operated train with less than 2% occupancy for 7 years: CAG report

Indian Express

4 days ago

The South Western Railway operated a train with less than 2 per cent occupancy for six years, resulting in a loss of Rs 17.47 crore, according to a Comptroller and Auditor General of India report.
The train (12691/12692) was run between Bengaluru and Sri Satya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam stations from April 2017 to March 2023, said the CAG report tabled in Parliament on Monday.
The full report contained 25 audit findings from various railway zones across the country, pointing out cases of undercharges or overpayments of Rs 543.17 crore.
One of the findings of the operating department of Bengaluru Division, which comes under the South Western Railway (SWR) zone, suggested that both the zonal headquarters and the Railway Ministry didn't take any corrective measures despite being aware of the poor occupancy.
The report said that the Railway Ministry's prescribed criteria stated that if the earning potential (both reserved and unreserved accommodation) was below 30 per cent on average for the whole year in both directions, the Zonal Railways can shortlist such trains for cancellation and forward the proposal to the Railway Board for final decision.
According to the audit, the said train operated between Chennai Central (MAS) station and Sri Satya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam (SSPN) station via KSR Bengaluru (SBC) station and it received poor patronage between SBC station and SSPN station in both directions.
The rail division submitted a proposal to its headquarters with various suggestions such as terminating the train at an intermediate station instead of running it up to the original destination station, diversions, etc to improve the occupancy. However, none of the above proposals was implemented, the report said.
'Audit further examined the occupancy of the train between SSPN station and SBC station (to and fro) for the period from April 2017 to March 2023 and it was observed that the occupancy of the train throughout the above period was less than 2 per cent,' it said.
It added, 'The operational cost of the train was huge, and the loss on account of running the train between these stations was to the tune of Rs 17.47 crore during this period.' The audit recorded the statement of the zonal headquarters, which stated that as the above train was time-tabled, it needed the Railway Ministry's approval for its termination.
It further said that the proposal for terminating the train at Bengaluru Cantt (BNC) station was sent to the Railway Ministry in June 2022, awaiting approval.
'The reply of Zonal Railway Administration indicates a collective failure. It shows that although the problem was highlighted by the SBC Division in December 2016 but the Zonal Railway Administration brought this issue to the notice of MoR (Ministry of Railways) only after six years,' the audit said.
'Further, even after a lapse of over one year after submission of the proposal by the Zonal Railway, a final decision on the same is yet to be taken by MoR.' The audit report has also recorded that the matter was referred to MoR in February 2024, but no reply was received till July 2024.
'Ministry of Railways should review the operation of the train in light of the suggestions made by SBC Division and SWR Zone and take an appropriate decision,' the CAG recommended.
'The delay on the part of the Zonal Railway in bringing the issue to the notice of MoR may be examined and responsibility fixed,' it added.