As many as 1,06,75,449 passengers travelled to and from Aurangabad Railway Station from January to December 2023, earning revenue of ₹97,47,26,151. Although the revenue collected from the railway station was around one crore rupees last year, passengers are craving basic amenities and more connectivity to various cities in the country.
A total of 50,86,475 passengers travelled outward from Aurangabad Railway Station, whereas 55,88,774 travelled inward by trains between January 1 to December 31, 2023. The Mukundwadi Railway Station in the vicinity of the city recorded an outward passenger flow of 3,09,173 and an inflow of 1,12,276, earning a revenue of Rs 1,52,68,238. The Daulatabad Railway station had outward passenger numbers of 17,446 and inward of 9,921, earning Rs 3,51,025 in revenue last year.
Although railway traffic has huge potential, the Marathwada region has always remained neglected. The citizens of Marathwada have been demanding better railway connectivity to various important industrial and tourist cities in the country for the past 25 years. However, every year, the region receives only assurances and surveys of railway routes. There has been a prolonged demand to connect Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Nagpur, and other cities with better railway connectivity and additional trains.
Daulatabad Railway Station has a goods yard and has more potential to earn more revenue as the basic facilities for goods transportation are already available here. There has been a demand from the Railway Pravasi Mahasangh that more trains should stop here.
Seeing the revenue of Mukundwadi station in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city last year, there is huge potential for generating revenue. The administration should immediately provide more passenger amenities, an extra loop line, and stoppage of a few more express trains at Mukundwadi Railway Station, as the passengers demanded.
Here's what railway activist has to say
Railway activist Swanand Solanke said, that despite having an inadequate number of trains, the Aurangabad station has given decent revenue of approximately ₹100 crores. "It shows that it has huge potential for revenue growth. The railway administration should expedite the ongoing work of the pit line and should start long-distance trains as soon as possible. This will not only be more convenient for passengers but also give good revenue to Indian Railways," he added.
