Rlys looking to turn general coaches into AC compartments

Rlys looking to turn general coaches into AC compartments

Dipak.Dash@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 16.11.2021

The railways is exploring the option to convert general coaches in long distance trains into AC compartments in its bid to provide a comfortable ride to the passengers who can’t pay high fare.

Sources said these coaches will have seating arrangements for 100-120 passengers and hence the fares would be much less so that common people can travel in these coaches. These compartments would be fully reserved and would have automatic closing doors. TOI has learnt that the brainstorming sessions on this plan have started in the railway ministry. The first AC General Class coach is likely to be manufactured in the Railway Coach Factory at Kapurthala in Punjab.

Though all long distance trains except premier ones such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Vande Bharat had unreserved general compartments before the Covid-19 pandemic, now all such coaches run as reserved compartments. Officials said if common passengers can get comfortable ride in AC coaches at affordable fare, then this should become a priority of the railways. Recently, railways introduced AC economy class coaches with lower fare than AC-3 tier as an option for passengers who opt for travel in sleeper class coaches. It also started the maiden service of an all-AC economy train.