This train gave Rs 628800000 loss to Indian Railway, everyday 200-250 seats left vacant due to…

India has one of the largest railway networks in the world. Indian Railways operates over 12,817 trains on average every day, carrying about 23 million passengers. Due to its extensive network and high demand, certain trains in Indian Railways also generate revenues in hundreds of crores. According to the information released by the Railways, Bengaluru Rajdhani Express gained the top spot in terms of earnings. This train earned Rs 176 crore in the fiscal year 2022-23. However, there is one train that resulted in the highest losses for IRCTC.

The Tejas Express train operating between Delhi and Lucknow, along with the Tejas train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, faced a loss of Rs 62.88 crore over three years. The Indian Railways had given the responsibility of running these trains to IRCTC in 2019.

According to a Zee News report, the information given by IRCTC in 2022 indicates that both Tejas trains are operating at a loss. Specifically, the Tejas train from Delhi to Lucknow via Kanpur Central reported a loss of Rs 27.52 crore. Due to insufficient passenger numbers and continuous losses, the frequency of this train's trips was reduced from six days a week to just four.

The train's losses are primarily due to 200 to 250 seats remaining vacant every day. Two main factors contribute to this vacancy. First, the Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains operate before the Tejas Express, offering better amenities at lower fares. As a result, passengers tend to book Tejas tickets only when they are unable to book seats on the Rajdhani or Shatabdi.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of the Tejas trains was adjusted several times. Due to low passenger numbers, operations were temporarily halted five times between 2019 and 2022. In the 2019-20 fiscal year, the Tejas on the Lucknow-New Delhi route recorded a profit of Rs 2.33 crore. However, this was followed by a loss of Rs 16.69 crore in 2020-21 and a further loss of Rs 8.50 crore in 2021-22.

IRCTC officials stated that the railways continued to pay for the trains even when they were not in operation for extended periods during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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