4-5 per cent drop in railway traffic

Rail passenger traffic this year saw a dip of 4 to 5 per cent due to "economic slowdown" other factors, a senior railways official said today.
One of the reasons behind the passenger traffic depreciating is economic slowdown, according to Assistant General Manager of Northern Railways S K Agarwal.
"Naturally, people will travel less when business goes down. A poor man will also travel less," he told a press conference.
Asked if these figures were same across the country, he said, "Yes, this is across the country, specifically in un-reserved category."
"In reserved segment, it has increased, but in unreserved, it has come down," he said.

Better infrastructure and improved road connectivity also had an impact on the short-distance rail traffic, he said.

Agarwal said that trains like Shatabdi or other express trains still managed to retain their travellers as they are long-distance trains.
"Shatabdi Express is very popular, don't worry. It is not the number of Shatabdi Express passengers which is coming down. It is the small distance travellers, daily passengers, who travel between 100-125 km whose number is declining," he said.
Talking about the fast-speed trains facilities being provided at Chandigarh and Ambala railway stations, he said, "You should be doubling Chandigarh-Ambala rail line. In this single line, no bullet train can run. Doubling work is sanctioned, so your first concern should be to make it a double line which will increase the capacity."

Work at Delhi-Agra railway line will be started soon and Ambala to Dappar section will be doubled by the end of this year and by December 2016, the section from Dappar to Chandigarh will be completed, he said.