Private trains on key routes

The Indian Railways is exploring the possibility of handing over operations of more trains to private players offering improved services and amenities for passengers in the near future on several important routes. The ministry is contemplating the proposal to privatize inter-city services on 14 routes, while 10 on overnight and long distance services and four suburban services. The latter includes Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Lucknow, Delhi-Jammu/Katra, Delhi-Howrah, Secunderabad-Hyderabad, Secunderabad-Delhi, Delhi-Chennai, Mumbai-Chennai, Howrah-Chennai and Howrah-Mumbai.

This is not the first time that the ministry is exploring the idea of privatization of routes. Sometime back, the Indian Railways had announced to grant operations of two of its luxurious Tejas Express trains to Indian Rail Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) between Lucknow-New Delhi and Mumbai-Ahmedabad.