Author: rd

I happened to stumble upon a piece of news that was covered by very few media houses, yet it sent an electric shock through rail fans. This came when Northern Central Railway requested the authorities to reduce the speed of premium trains like Gatiman, Vande Bharat, and Shatabdi to 130 kmph, citing safety concerns.

It felt like a regression altogether, because safety measures do not fail overnight. If they break, they must have been compromised for years. That reality surfaced only when the Kanchanjunga Express met with an accident. What made it even more shocking was the fact that the train was running at just 45 kmph at the time. Either the installed safety measures, such as Kavach, failed miserably, or we did not validate its edge cases in the manner it should have been done.

This episode motivated me to write, after researching the main bottlenecks in Indian rail infrastructure and how Indian Railways has attempted to tackle these issues over time.

To begin this blog, I will highlight some of the priority corridors that are destined to witness 160 kmph operations and are being treated as focus sections or divisions. One of the most talked-about among them is the NDLS to CNB section. It is a remarkable stretch, especially when we consider the ease with which it handles 130 kmph, almost like a piece of cake. The fastest Vande Bharat simply glides through this section. This is not to discount the speeds maintained in other sections, particularly in Madhya Pradesh and around the Agra stretch, which have also shown steady improvements.

Newspapers are laden with a series of articles that infuse hope and despair at the same time. One day, we read that significant progress has been made; the very next day, we hear that the project has been delayed by another year. This on-and-off narrative has become synonymous with the CNB section. The same gung-ho optimism followed the Mumbai–Ahmedabad section as well, yet the upgrades there, too, remain elusive.

In the following posts, I will cover these individual issues one by one.

After a long buzz and several delays, something concrete has finally emerged from the Minister’s desk. The Howrah–Guwahati route will be the first to witness the introduction of the rake. In a way, this marks a new dawn for the North-East—quite literally, as this region is among the first in the country to see the break of day.

Moving beyond the initial excitement, the familiar problem of Indian Railways becomes evident once again: underutilisation of rolling stock. Large sections of the route do not support speeds beyond 130 kmph, and in some stretches the train will crawl at around 110 kmph. Given these constraints, deploying the rake on routes such as NDLS–CSMT or NDLS–HWH via Gaya might have made more operational sense. However, that option did not see the light of day.

Is this decision influenced by the prevailing political scenario? This is purely my own speculation—perhaps. Both termini fall in poll-bound states, and introducing a new rake in such regions does carry political significance. It can be read as a signal: we acknowledge you; you are not outside the scheme of things. My intuition comes from a recent precedent. When Bihar was approaching elections, the proposed route was NDLS–PNBE. Now that the polls are over, the narrative appears to have shifted—let’s use this for a “better” purpose.

That said, not all hope is lost. As stated by the Minister, six new services (twelve rakes) are planned. One can reasonably expect other sectors to benefit as well. My bet would be on routes such as NDLS–CSMT, NDLS–PNBE, NDLS–HWH, or perhaps MAS–CSMT or MAS–HWH. Time will tell what materialises.

After all, this is just the first day of the year. There is much more yet to unfold.

The Bakhtiyarpur–Rajgir railway line is a short but historically important branch line in Bihar. It connects Bakhtiyarpur, a key junction on the Howrah–Delhi main route, with Rajgir, one of India’s oldest living historic towns.

The line was built during the British colonial period and opened to traffic around 1916–1917. At the time, it was laid as a meter-gauge railway, which was common for secondary and feeder routes in eastern India. Its purpose was not industrial freight, but access—linking Rajgir and the Nalanda region to the main railway network.

Rajgir had long been associated with Gautama Buddha and Mahavira. Nearby Nalanda had already gained global recognition for its ancient university. Despite this importance, the area remained relatively isolated until the arrival of the railway. The Bakhtiyarpur connection significantly reduced travel time from Patna and Kolkata, encouraging pilgrimage and scholarly visits.

Construction of the line was carried out by Martin & Company, one of the most prominent railway and civil engineering contractors in British India. Martin & Company was responsible for surveying the route, earthwork, track formation, and the construction of bridges and small station buildings. The terrain near Rajgir, with low hills and seasonal streams, required careful alignment, something the firm was well known for.

After independence, the line continued to operate as a meter-gauge route for several decades. In the early 2000s, it underwent gauge conversion to broad gauge as part of Indian Railways’ national modernization program. While the track and signaling were upgraded, the original colonial alignment designed by Martin & Company remains largely unchanged.

Today, the Bakhtiyarpur–Rajgir line mainly carries passenger and local MEMU services. It may not be a high-profile route, but it quietly fulfills the same role it was built for over a century ago—connecting history, pilgrimage, and everyday life through rail.

Imagine this.

You are planning a big Indian wedding. The groom’s family, relatives, and friends—maybe 200 people—need to travel together. Or perhaps your society is organizing a pilgrimage to Tirupati, Vaishno Devi, or Shirdi, and everyone wants to go as one group.

You open the regular railway booking website…
Waitlists everywhere. Different coaches. Different trains. No guarantee everyone will travel together.

This is exactly where IRCTC’s FTR (Full Tariff Rate) service comes into the picture.

Yes, Indian Railways allows you to book a full coach — or even an entire train — for personal and social occasions.

What Is IRCTC FTR and Why People Use It

The FTR (Full Tariff Rate) service is a special facility designed for large group travel. Instead of booking individual seats, you book the whole coach or train, exclusively for your group.

Booking a Train for a Wedding? Yes, It’s Possible

Indian weddings are not small affairs. When a marriage involves travel between cities, arranging transport for hundreds of people becomes a major challenge.

With IRCTC FTR:

• You can book one or more coaches attached to a regular train
• Or, for very large weddings, charter a full train
• All seats in the coach/train belong only to your wedding group
• No outsiders, no last-minute cancellations

This option is often used when:

• Marriage is during peak season
• Destination is far (500–2000 km)
• Families want privacy and coordination

What Exactly Can You Book Under FTR?

Under the IRCTC FTR (Full Tariff Rate) scheme, group travellers can book either a full coach or an entire train, depending on group size and requirement.

Full Coach Booking

• Suitable for 18 to 72 passengers (depending on coach type)
• The coach is attached to an existing scheduled train
• Commonly used for:
  • Marriage travel groups
  • Small pilgrimage or community tours

Entire Train Booking

• Involves multiple coaches, up to 24 coaches including mandatory SLR coaches
• The train is fully reserved for a single group
• Typically used for:
  • Large religious yatras
  • Mega wedding groups
  • Institutional or mass travel events

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How Early Do You Need to Plan?

FTR bookings are advance-planning arrangements and cannot be done at short notice.

You should apply:

• At least 30 days before the journey date
• Up to 6 months in advance for higher chances of approval

Early applications are strongly recommended during festival seasons and peak wedding months.

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How Does the Booking Process Work?

The FTR booking process follows these steps:

1. Visit the official IRCTC FTR portal
2. Create an account and submit a booking request
3. Enter required details:
   • Journey route
   • Date of travel
   • Number of coaches or full train requirement
4. A reference number is generated after submission
5. Pay the prescribed registration and security amount
6. Indian Railways reviews the request for operational feasibility
7. On approval, the booking is confirmed

Important:
Submitting an FTR request does not guarantee confirmation. Approval depends on train availability, route feasibility, and operational constraints.