Indian luxury trains, like the entire railway sector, have been hit hard due to coronavirus Epidemic. However, the ministry’s data shows that normal train operations are back on track and are even outperforming pre-pandemic numbers.
According to official ministry data accessed by News18, only the Palace on Wheels, Golden Chariot and Maharaja Express are running since 2020.
Maharaja Express made seven trips till November 30 this financial year and earned Rs 14.34 crore. The average occupancy of the train was just 38 per cent. In the last financial year, it had an exceptionally high occupancy of 82 per cent over three trips.
By November 2022, the Palace on Wheels had five ferries with 38 per cent occupancy. The Golden Chariot, which had just one trip, had an occupancy of 27 per cent.
Lower occupancy even before the pandemic
Further digging into the data reveals that even before the outbreak of the pandemic, the number of passengers in these trains was less. News18 has accessed the occupancy details of these trains from 2014, which shows that the average occupancy of the trains between 2014 and 2022 did not cross 50 per cent.
In 2014-15, Palace on Wheels did 35 trips and the occupancy was 56%. The next year, during the same number of trips, occupancy dropped to 48 percent. In the next three financial years, the train made 33 trips every year. The average occupancy of this luxury train was 40 per cent in 2016-17; 55 percent in 2017-18 and 56 percent in 2018-19. It marginally improved in 2019-20 and the occupancy reached 59 per cent. The average occupancy of this train covering Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan between 2014-15 and 2022-23 was 39 per cent.
The Maharaja Express, which ran on several all-India routes between 2014-15 and 2022-23, had an average passenger occupancy of 44 per cent. In 2014-15, it had 34 trips with 57 per cent occupancy. Occupancy declined to 52 per cent in 29 trips in the next financial year and to 39 per cent in 31 trips during 2016-17. The occupancy remained below 45 per cent between 2017-18 and 2019-20.
The Golden Chariot made 11 trips in 2014-15 and 2016-17 with an occupancy of 35 per cent. In 2015-16, the train had nine trips and the occupancy was 30 per cent. In 2017-18, the train had eight trips and the average occupancy was 41 per cent. It remained suspended in 2018-19 and 2019-20. In 2020-21, it had two trips with 34 per cent occupancy.
Speaking to News18, a Railway Ministry official said that the purpose of these trains is to promote tourism and not to make profit.
“It is true that the operation of luxury tourist trains has been adversely affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, these come under the Bharat Gaurav Train Scheme. The purpose of these trains is to promote tourism. They run on a standard cost method based on haulage fee principles to promote rail-based tourism and not on a profit-making model,” said the official, seeking anonymity.
It may be noted that from this financial year all luxury tourist trains have been brought under the ambit of the new Bharat Gaurav train scheme. Under the policy, the service providers have complete freedom to decide the theme, itinerary and tariff as per the market demand.
The service provider offers a comprehensive package with rail transport, accommodation, food, local road transport and sightseeing facilities. The operation of tourist circuit trains is dependent on the service provider, whereas Indian Rail Provides all support including coach maintenance and stabilization facilities for the operation of these trains.
Low occupancy dock, complimentary travel
A standing committee on railways, headed by West Bengal MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, had in 2019 questioned the low number of passengers in luxury trains and also the complimentary travel offered by the railways in these trains.
The committee noted that the percentage of vacant seats of Maharaja Express, Golden Chariot, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Deccan Odyssey and Palace on Wheels during 2012 to 2017 has been 63.7, 61.07, 57.76, 45.46 and 45.81 respectively.
“What is even more disturbing is that during 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, the Maharaja Express, which was run entirely by the Indian Railways without any support from the State has had an occupancy of 29.86%. 32.22%, 41.8%, 41.58% and 36.03% respectively,” the committee said, adding that during 2013-14, 758 seats out of 1,594 were occupied, including 97 seats occupied by complimentary passengers.
It also said that the provision of complimentary travel in these luxury trains continues on the recommendation of the Railway Board or IRCTC or State Tourism Development Corporation.
The committee said it failed to understand that “there is a need to provide complimentary travel when these luxury trains are barely generating revenue to meet the expenses of their operation”.
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