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Namo Bharat: As Ridership Dwindles, Officials Change Timing To Boost Passenger Numbers

by Tooba Shaikh
Namo Bharat: As Ridership Dwindles, Officials Change Timing To Boost Passenger Numbers

Officials have now changed the timings of Namo Bharat, the first regional rapid train in India. This is done on account of the low ridership that this line is experiencing between Sahibabad and Duhai station. By changing the timings of the train, it is hoped that the ridership will increase significantly. Here are all the details that you need to know about this particular change in the timings of the train.

Namo Bharat: Timings Changed To Boost Ridership

According to an article recently published by Times Now, the timings of the train have now been changed. Instead of 6 AM to 11 PM, the train will now ply from 6 AM to 10 PM on weekdays. On Sundays, it will run from 8 AM to 10 PM. According to officials, this shift in timings is because of the low ridership witnessed by the train.

This new timing rule came into effect on November 5. It is important to note that officials are not discouraged by the low ridership. As per an official cited in the Times Now article, the section was merely a pilot project and was not meant for inter-city commuting. Therefore, assessing its success based on its ridership is not the correct criterion to determine its success.

According to the information provided by the NCR Transport Corporation, the occupancy of Namo Bharat’s five standard coaches is 75 per cent in the first week and this includes women’s and reserved coaches. In the premium coaches, the occupancy was 25 per cent. The information also revealed that the train saw a ridership of 47,255 so far.

Also Read: All About Namo Bharat; India’s 1st Regional Rapid Train Service

Ridership Not A Criterion For Success

In the first week of its launch, the train witnessed an average of 6,751. The data for the ridership it witnessed in November so far, however, has not been made public. Namo Bharat kickstarted operations on October 21. It stretched across 17 kilometres between Duhai station and Sahibabad. Despite the change in timings, officials remain optimistic.

The official cited in the Times Now article stated that once operations begin in full swing, the ridership may increase. This will most likely happen in March of next year when the commercial operations begin from Duhai to Meerut.

Initially named RapidX, it was renamed in honour of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to Namo Bharat on October 19. This particular train has state-of-the-art facilities and is set to make travelling easier, comfier, and faster. It has ample legroom between seats so that passengers can travel comfortably.

Also Read: When Food & Partition Collided: How The Face Of Indian Cuisine Shifted Pre And Post-Independence

Have you ever travelled in Namo Bharat trains? Do you think changing timings would increase its ridership? Let us know in the comments section below!

Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons

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