Union Budget 2024 | Rail passenger traffic up by 5.2% compared to previous year as per Economic Survey

New Delhi: About 673 crore passengers took train journeys in 2023-24, which is about 5.2 per cent more than the previous financial year, according to the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Monday.

The revenue-earning freight in FY24, excluding the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, also witnessed an increase of 5.3 per cent from the previous year, the survey showed.

"Passenger traffic originating in IR (Indian Railways) was 673 crore in FY24 (provisional actuals), increasing by about 5.2 per cent compared to the previous year," the survey said.

It said the railways carried 158.8 crore tonnes of revenue-earning freight in FY24.

"The freight loadings of the railways achieved CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 7.1 per cent from FY20 to FY24, with the special emphasis on capacity addition, new rolling stock and improving operational efficiencies," it said.

The survey said the Indian Railways (IR) hosts many services to enhance user experience, efficiently manage the train system and build capacity for a 'Viksit Bharat'.

"To upgrade the passenger experience, railways have introduced Wi-Fi facilities at 6,108 stations, bridging the digital divide between rural and urban citizens," the survey said.

It added, "Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation's (IRCTC) online ticketing system has emerged as one of the largest e-commerce websites in the country and Asia Pacific, and it is easily accessible through the website, mobile app, and IRCTC authorised agents." Talking about Indian Railways freight services, the survey said The Freight Operations Information System comprehensively manages all facets of freight operations, encompassing booking, electronic demand registration, transfer of railway receipts, and consignment tracking.

"The Rail Sugam App and Freight Business Development Portal have also been created to enhance customer convenience," the survey said.

It survey also highlighted the railways' train management system which "offers a comprehensive view of trains running with real-time train IDs".

"It contributes to train punctuality through improved planning and swift responses to emergencies. Maintenance of locomotives, coaches, and wagons has been digitised by applications such as Locomotive Asset Management, Coaching Management System, and Freight Wagon Management System software," the survey said.

It added, "The finance system of railways is Information Technology (IT) enabled. Bill passing is entirely electronic, with 99.9 per cent of expenditure and more than 90 per cent of revenue transactions being cashless."

Stressing the importance of the digitisation of the procurement process, the survey said, "IR (Indian Railways) has digitised its procurement through a comprehensive IT system for material management known as the Indian Railways e-Procurement System and Integrated Material Management System."

"Railways' Human Resource Management System provides fully automated and centralised payroll, pensions, employee self-service, performance appraisal, pass, eService record, provident fund, etc," the survey added.

On capacity building, the survey highlighted eight centralised training institutes, introduced by the Railways, for its personnel in diverse fields.

"About 6.5 lakh railway officials have undergone training in FY24. Railways has also developed railway-specific learning content on the iGOT Karmayogi platform, where over 80 per cent of its officials are onboarded, and 12 per cent are currently enrolled in at least one course," the survey added.

Union Budget 2024 | Making a record for any Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting her 7th Union Budget on July 23, 2024 under the Modi 3.0 government. While inflation has burnt a hole in the pockets of 'aam janata', will this Budget spell relief for Indians? Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analysis only on Deccan Herald. Also follow us on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.