Indian Railways in the Past Twenty Years Issues, Performance and Challenges

Indian Railways (IR) is Asia’s largest and world’s second largest network under one management, with a separate Ministry and its own annual budget. The network carried about 17 million Passengers and 2 mt freight every day on the route of 63,327 km (2006-07). Although key business operations are freight and passenger, IR is also engaged in several allied services including parcel, catering and production units. Nearly 70 percent of IR’s revenues come from the freight operations, which can be segmented into bulk and other cargo. Over the years, IR has predominantly become a bulk freight carrier, accounting for about 94 percent of the freight revenue. Coal alone accounts for nearly half of the bulk traffic carried. Passenger business accounts for nearly 60 percent of IR’s total transport effort, in terms of train kilometers, but yield less than 30 percent of the total revenues. Suburban services account for 57 percent of the originating passengers, while contribute to only 8 percent of the passenger revenue. To understand the development process of IR’s over the past twenty years, the study covers issues and strategies related to financial and physical aspects of revenue generating freight and passenger traffic from 1987-2007. Study also covers the developments in the parcel, catering and advertising sector.