Central Railways: 30 Per Cent Reduction In Airfares And Air Traffic Following Vande Bharat's Launch

For the very first time, the railways have initiated a novel approach to monitor the demand for Vande Bharat trains, taking into consideration the gender and age of the passengers.

As per industry estimates, there has been a significant decline of 10-20 per cent in air traffic and a concurrent drop in airfares by 20 per cent -30 per cent following the introduction of Vande Bharat trains.

According to data compiled by the Central Railway (CR), it was observed that the age group of 31-45 years accounted for the highest number of passengers embarking on Vande Bharat journeys originating from Mumbai, followed by those aged 15-30 years.

The statistics also encompass the demographic breakdown, highlighting the count of males, females, and transgender passengers travelling on the four Vande Bharat routes operated by CR, which include three routes originating from Mumbai and heading to Shirdi, Goa, and Solapur.

Shivraj Manaspure, the Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway (CR), noted, "In this duration, children (aged 1-14 years) occupied approximately 5 per cent of the passenger count, while transgender passengers made up 4.5 per cent of the total passengers on Vande Bharat trains, reports Deccan Herald.

The railways are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to enhance the popularity of Vande Bharat trains and increase passenger numbers.

Recent data for September reveals an impressive occupancy rate ranging from 77 per cent to 101 per cent on these Vande Bharat trains plying routes from Mumbai to Shirdi, Madgaon, and Solapur.

Railway officials clarified that train occupancy rates are influenced by passengers boarding at various stations along the entire route, sometimes exceeding 100 per cent.

"These macro-level data insights will assist the Railways in generating revenue from non-fare sources. The data on gender and age will also be beneficial to industries looking to advertise with the railways, whether through seat, tray, or headrest advertisements on Vande Bharat trains.

It offers them a clearer understanding of their target audience. Moreover, this data will play a pivotal role in the Railways' plans for enhancing services, refining food menus, and improving other amenities in the future," explained Paresh Rawal, a Public Policy Analyst specialising in Mobility and Transportation.