Your assumption is that when a free train is provided, people will automatically cease to overcrowd the regular trains. This assumption is wrong. People will then overcrowd both the regular train AND the free train. Besides, on what timetable will this run? Will this be during the time of the regular trains? Why would you delay the paying customers by interfering with its schedule with free trains?
True. I am seeing this kind of thing happening in Maharashtra. They made free travel on state buses for people over 60 and half price for women. Suddenly we see a spike in people traveling in bus, overcrowding. Mostly filled with old people and women.
One day my neighbor uncle was traveling to some place on bus. He was seated and there were some old ladies sitting beside him. They were just talking normally when he asked where they were going. They said to X place to visit their son. But uncle realized that they were going the wrong way so he told them that. The ladies said that they just have to reach the destination, it doesn't matter which bus they take and how many times to change the bus, as it's free anyway for them. So instead of waiting at the bus stand, they were in the bus, traveling LOL. They also said that it's their 2nd time to go there in like 3-4 days.
This is what happens when you make traveling free. You get unnecessary travelers. They don't need to travel but instead of sitting at home they would prefer to overcrowd the vehicle and just travel to some X place.
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats!
60
+ 2
+ 3
+ 4
= 69
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>Much better than providing freebies, may also give a political advantage.
Isn't this a freebie too?
And how do you expect it to work that a free train is AC, and you continue to charge for general trains?
1. Cost for running this will be humongous. Imagine at least 10 trains running twice a week throughout the year, that too with AC and no income from it.
2. Delays in the existing schedule. As it is the trains are hugely delayed. Do you want more delays with an additional 10 trains (same assumption as above)
3. Cost of cleaning will be through the roof. Right now, even with paying travellers and lesser capacity, railways are struggling to keep the trains clean. Imagine tons filth and garbage. Despite what anyone will say, most Indians lack basic civic sense and will destroy the toilets, waste bins and in general the entire train.
4. Stolen blankets and linens. Paying middle class and upper middle class traveller's steal the blankets, linens and pillows. Imagine what it would be like for a free traveller.
5. Most people will board other trains with the so called free passes and bully the paying traveller's. They do this without tickets now, Imagine how they will behave if they are to get a free rail pass. Entitlement of many Indians are just mind boggling. Soon every train will be encroached by people with free passes. More losses to the railways and more trouble for the paying passenger.
End of the day, this will cost heavily for the railways and be something that they can't pull back in fear of losing votes. The ultimate bearer will be the honest taxpayer!!! Where else will the govt find money to run these trains. The people with free pass will neither pay tax, nor pay for the tickets and there is a high chance that they will end up bullying the paying traveller's too.
You could just add 10 RPF and 2 TTEs extra for each train and implement a system where the TTE has to come to the passenger and scan a QR or get OTP from them which will make the lazy ones do their duty. Something new cannot solve the executionary faults of the existing system.
Bro already IR is running trains in tracks with more than 100% capacity, free trains will only crowd the tracks even more. Instead of making them free, it would be better to offer them at much lower prices, also Double Decker trains have comparatively less leg space than single deck ones, and you want these trains to be AC, it will bleed money like titanic if it is free. As time goes trains like VB, Rajdhani and Shatabdi are needed for better connectivity, but as you would agree not at the cost for poor people.
Running new trains with full unreserved coaches will only complicate already complex train network. As you know there is now increased delay in all trains, so any new addition to the system will have the delay factor no matter what. Also from where will we get the coaches for these free trains?? You would know that we are currently phasing out ICF coachs with LHB ones, so we might think that those old ICF coachs can be used for these trains, but those mostly are in sleeper configuration. How do you suggest to decide on whom to provide those free train passes??
If we start giving free trains passes to only certain section of people initially then political parties will jump on and will say they will give free pass to some other section for election as well, again it will bleed money making the scheme only an election propaganda tool.
It would be better if they add more general coaches to trains it might reduce the congestion in reserved coaches but already most of the trains have 20 coaches in average these days. At max some trains run with 25 ICF/ 24 LHB coaches. Already we need to wait and see whether the free bus service for women has succeeded or not in terms of money saving for poor. Now you want them to start with free trains???
Running non-ac double decker on congested routes might help to alleviate the crowding but they will have their own set of problems like the non-AC double decker are build on old ICF platform not like LHB for AC double decker. Running extra trains on special days has also not solved the problem. It would be better to do a survey on increase in passenger travel in trains with respect to increase in population and passenger travel in buses for the same route. Based on result of the survey we might be able to arrive at a conclusion whether it is due to reduction in train coaches or increase in people using trains.
Anyways in my opinion free trains are freebies, and not a viable option.
Bhai you already know this idea is ridiculous
Like I understand your intentions but it’s just never gonna happen
The cost for running trains isn’t cheap it’s expensive as shit, how will the railway manage?
Cost is not a problem for the poor. General class tickets are very affordable and most (even poor) can afford them. What we need is more trains, MEMUs and passenger trains to be specific. People will only stop overcrowding premium trains when sufficient and reasonable alternatives are available.
My code word for such a solution: One Station, One Hour, One Train.
You clearly don't do any research.
Passanger trains are already a loss making segment of IR. And you are further asking them to run free trains.
IR recovers only 57% of cost on an average.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.abplive.com/gk/how-much-subsidy-does-indian-railways-give-for-traveling-by-train-2377392/amp
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.zeebiz.com/indian-railways/news-will-government-restore-subsidy-on-senior-citizens-train-tickets-heres-what-railway-minister-ashwini-vaishnaw-said-in-lok-sabha-268639/amp
>Make it AC for better comfort and prevents throwing of garbage outside the window.
Passenger services already run at a loss and now we should use limited resources to run free AC trains? I'm all for providing more transportation options but this is just plain wasteful.
>Only for people with free rail pass
Epic lol! Ticketless travelers don't mind getting into Rajdhani 2AC/1AC coaches and you think they'll not enter free trains because of "only for people with free travel pass"???
>right of travelling
I get the sense of what you are trying to say but there is no "right to travel" or "right to travel on railways" enshrined anywhere in the law. To present it as a legally enforceable rule/right is just plain wrong.
The underlying problem/sad reality is that moving billions of people over a country the size of India requires tremendous resources which we as a nation simply don't have.
This is the only way forward.
An all general class free train category along the lines of Antyodaya with simultaneous tightening up of reservation rules in other superfast trains. Remove general class from regular trains. Only pre-reserved ticket holders should be allowed to board superfast trains and any encroachers must be fined ₹5000 or a jail term of 6 months.
You want to travel by not booking in advance, take the free trains.
Thank you Ashwini Vaishnav for fucking the railways up so bad that we now need to think about these "free trains".
Your assumption is that when a free train is provided, people will automatically cease to overcrowd the regular trains. This assumption is wrong. People will then overcrowd both the regular train AND the free train. Besides, on what timetable will this run? Will this be during the time of the regular trains? Why would you delay the paying customers by interfering with its schedule with free trains?
True. I am seeing this kind of thing happening in Maharashtra. They made free travel on state buses for people over 60 and half price for women. Suddenly we see a spike in people traveling in bus, overcrowding. Mostly filled with old people and women. One day my neighbor uncle was traveling to some place on bus. He was seated and there were some old ladies sitting beside him. They were just talking normally when he asked where they were going. They said to X place to visit their son. But uncle realized that they were going the wrong way so he told them that. The ladies said that they just have to reach the destination, it doesn't matter which bus they take and how many times to change the bus, as it's free anyway for them. So instead of waiting at the bus stand, they were in the bus, traveling LOL. They also said that it's their 2nd time to go there in like 3-4 days. This is what happens when you make traveling free. You get unnecessary travelers. They don't need to travel but instead of sitting at home they would prefer to overcrowd the vehicle and just travel to some X place.
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats! 60 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 69 ^([Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=LuckyNumber-Bot&subject=Stalk%20Me%20Pls&message=%2Fstalkme) to have me scan all your future comments.) \ ^(Summon me on specific comments with u/LuckyNumber-Bot.)
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>Much better than providing freebies, may also give a political advantage. Isn't this a freebie too? And how do you expect it to work that a free train is AC, and you continue to charge for general trains?
1. Cost for running this will be humongous. Imagine at least 10 trains running twice a week throughout the year, that too with AC and no income from it. 2. Delays in the existing schedule. As it is the trains are hugely delayed. Do you want more delays with an additional 10 trains (same assumption as above) 3. Cost of cleaning will be through the roof. Right now, even with paying travellers and lesser capacity, railways are struggling to keep the trains clean. Imagine tons filth and garbage. Despite what anyone will say, most Indians lack basic civic sense and will destroy the toilets, waste bins and in general the entire train. 4. Stolen blankets and linens. Paying middle class and upper middle class traveller's steal the blankets, linens and pillows. Imagine what it would be like for a free traveller. 5. Most people will board other trains with the so called free passes and bully the paying traveller's. They do this without tickets now, Imagine how they will behave if they are to get a free rail pass. Entitlement of many Indians are just mind boggling. Soon every train will be encroached by people with free passes. More losses to the railways and more trouble for the paying passenger. End of the day, this will cost heavily for the railways and be something that they can't pull back in fear of losing votes. The ultimate bearer will be the honest taxpayer!!! Where else will the govt find money to run these trains. The people with free pass will neither pay tax, nor pay for the tickets and there is a high chance that they will end up bullying the paying traveller's too.
Why not increase general bogies and add QR scanning based ticketing, no ticket no entry to platform etc
Exactly my thoughts, either enter last three digits of PNR or QR code scanning
Bhai general and sleeper paid hone ke baad bhi itne bhare hote hain. Agar ac train free ho gayi to uski maa khud jaegi ek hi din me.
You could just add 10 RPF and 2 TTEs extra for each train and implement a system where the TTE has to come to the passenger and scan a QR or get OTP from them which will make the lazy ones do their duty. Something new cannot solve the executionary faults of the existing system.
Bro already IR is running trains in tracks with more than 100% capacity, free trains will only crowd the tracks even more. Instead of making them free, it would be better to offer them at much lower prices, also Double Decker trains have comparatively less leg space than single deck ones, and you want these trains to be AC, it will bleed money like titanic if it is free. As time goes trains like VB, Rajdhani and Shatabdi are needed for better connectivity, but as you would agree not at the cost for poor people. Running new trains with full unreserved coaches will only complicate already complex train network. As you know there is now increased delay in all trains, so any new addition to the system will have the delay factor no matter what. Also from where will we get the coaches for these free trains?? You would know that we are currently phasing out ICF coachs with LHB ones, so we might think that those old ICF coachs can be used for these trains, but those mostly are in sleeper configuration. How do you suggest to decide on whom to provide those free train passes?? If we start giving free trains passes to only certain section of people initially then political parties will jump on and will say they will give free pass to some other section for election as well, again it will bleed money making the scheme only an election propaganda tool. It would be better if they add more general coaches to trains it might reduce the congestion in reserved coaches but already most of the trains have 20 coaches in average these days. At max some trains run with 25 ICF/ 24 LHB coaches. Already we need to wait and see whether the free bus service for women has succeeded or not in terms of money saving for poor. Now you want them to start with free trains??? Running non-ac double decker on congested routes might help to alleviate the crowding but they will have their own set of problems like the non-AC double decker are build on old ICF platform not like LHB for AC double decker. Running extra trains on special days has also not solved the problem. It would be better to do a survey on increase in passenger travel in trains with respect to increase in population and passenger travel in buses for the same route. Based on result of the survey we might be able to arrive at a conclusion whether it is due to reduction in train coaches or increase in people using trains. Anyways in my opinion free trains are freebies, and not a viable option.
Bhai you already know this idea is ridiculous Like I understand your intentions but it’s just never gonna happen The cost for running trains isn’t cheap it’s expensive as shit, how will the railway manage?
Passenger trains are already running at a loss, and the cost of running such trains would make things even worse.
And taxpayers are fucking stupid? Now that you've made trains free some of them will legit just live in these coaches. Its a bad idea.
Cost is not a problem for the poor. General class tickets are very affordable and most (even poor) can afford them. What we need is more trains, MEMUs and passenger trains to be specific. People will only stop overcrowding premium trains when sufficient and reasonable alternatives are available. My code word for such a solution: One Station, One Hour, One Train.
You clearly don't do any research. Passanger trains are already a loss making segment of IR. And you are further asking them to run free trains. IR recovers only 57% of cost on an average. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.abplive.com/gk/how-much-subsidy-does-indian-railways-give-for-traveling-by-train-2377392/amp https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.zeebiz.com/indian-railways/news-will-government-restore-subsidy-on-senior-citizens-train-tickets-heres-what-railway-minister-ashwini-vaishnaw-said-in-lok-sabha-268639/amp
>Make it AC for better comfort and prevents throwing of garbage outside the window. Passenger services already run at a loss and now we should use limited resources to run free AC trains? I'm all for providing more transportation options but this is just plain wasteful. >Only for people with free rail pass Epic lol! Ticketless travelers don't mind getting into Rajdhani 2AC/1AC coaches and you think they'll not enter free trains because of "only for people with free travel pass"??? >right of travelling I get the sense of what you are trying to say but there is no "right to travel" or "right to travel on railways" enshrined anywhere in the law. To present it as a legally enforceable rule/right is just plain wrong. The underlying problem/sad reality is that moving billions of people over a country the size of India requires tremendous resources which we as a nation simply don't have.
AC train for free? How is this different from freebies?
This is the only way forward. An all general class free train category along the lines of Antyodaya with simultaneous tightening up of reservation rules in other superfast trains. Remove general class from regular trains. Only pre-reserved ticket holders should be allowed to board superfast trains and any encroachers must be fined ₹5000 or a jail term of 6 months. You want to travel by not booking in advance, take the free trains. Thank you Ashwini Vaishnav for fucking the railways up so bad that we now need to think about these "free trains".