The first week of December, the Mumbai division of Central Railway witnessed a notable surge in suburban train passengers, recording approximately 2.22 crore total passengers with a daily average of 44.38 lakh between December 1 and 5.
Shivraj Manaspure, chief public relations officer of Central Railway, said, "This surpasses the pre-Covid daily average of 42.29 lakh from April to November 2019, marking a positive shift in commuter trends." Despite the average daily number of passengers between April to November this year being around 37 lakh, the first week of December witnessed a notable increase in local passengers.
Total 11.40 crore passengers travelled in suburban trains
In November, a total of 11.93 crore passengers, including both suburban and non-suburban travelers, utilised Central Railway services in the Mumbai division. Impressively, 11.40 crores of these passengers opted for suburban trains alone, emphasising the significance of local train services in the region.
An official statement revealed that between April and November 2023, a total of 94.41 crore passengers traveled within the Mumbai division, reflecting an 8.87 per cent increase compared to the same period in the previous year. In 2022, the corresponding figure stood at 86.73 crores, indicating a substantial rise in railway usage.
Increase in work from office possible reason behind passenger surge
According to an official, the surge in passenger numbers in the Mumbai division can be attributed to a return to normalcy in office operations. "Many offices have resumed regular functioning, with a significant number of organisations transitioning away from the work-from-home culture. This shift in work dynamics seems to have contributed to increased commuter activity, as more individuals are now opting for traditional office-based work, leading to a resurgence in daily train ridership," he said.
With surge in passengers, revenue is on the rise
"Central Railway's Mumbai Division continues its stellar performance in the realm of commercial revenue, reaching new heights by achieving a remarkable total revenue of Rs 4,649.22 Crores from April to November 2023. This achievement reflects 13.72 per cent increase compared to the corresponding period revenue of Rs 4,088.26 crore in the previous fiscal year," said an official, adding that passenger revenue during November 2023 amounted to Rs 331.89 Crore, a slight increase from Rs 323.70 crore in November 2022. The cumulative passenger revenue for April to November 2023 reached Rs 2,582.38 crore, showcasing a notable 11.62 per cent year-over-year growth from Rs 2,313.65 crores during the same period in 2022.
Revenue breakdown
The breakdown of revenue streams revealed additional success stories. Parcel and other coaching revenue in November 2023 rose to Rs 47.15 crore, a significant 37.59 per cent increase from Rs 34.27 Crores in November 2022. The overall revenue for this category during April to November 2023 was Rs 299.62 crore, reflecting an 8.87 per cent rise from the previous year.
Goods revenue also experienced positive growth, reaching Rs 238.25 Crores in November 2023, an 11.57 per cent increase from the same period in 2022. Cumulatively, goods revenue for April to November 2023 amounted to Rs 1,685.63 crore, displaying a substantial 16.60 per cent growth compared to the previous year.
Sundry revenue, which encompasses non-fare revenue, parking, catering, retiring rooms, etc., witnessed fluctuations. In November 2023, it recorded Rs. 10.35 crore, showing a marginal decline of -1.86 per cent from November 2022. However, the overall sundry earnings for April to November 2023 stood at Rs. 81.59 crore, indicating an impressive 51.91 per cent increase from the corresponding period in the previous year.
