Indian Railways creates Non-Fare Revenue Directorate to explore advertising in train coaches

Indian Railways (IR) on 4 May 2016 announced the creation of Non-Fare Revenue Directorate to carry out advertisements in rail coaches, along the track and near stations.

The decision to create a directorate was taken to increase the revenue substantially from non-tariff sources.

Key highlights of Non-Fare Revenue Directorate

• It will explore getting advertisements on coaches, wagons, locomotives and at stations and commercial exploitation of vacant rail land among others.

• It will be headed by a senior-level railway official.

• It will focus on various ways to enhance revenues by 10 per cent to 20 per cent from the current 5 per cent from the non-tariff sources.

• It will enter into new areas like commercial farming alongside railway tracks, sponsorship of uniforms for railway personnel and also sponsorship of activities and events at stations to enhance non-tariff revenue.

About Indian Railways

• Railways were first introduced to India in the year 1853 from Mumbai to Thane.

• Indian Railways is an Indian state-owned enterprise, owned and operated by the Government of India through the Ministry of Railways.

• It is one of the world's largest railway networks comprising 115000 km of track over a route of 65808 km and 7112 stations.

• In 2014-15, IR carried 8.397 billion passengers annually or more than 23 million passengers a day. It also carried 1058.81 million tons of freight in the year.

• In 2014–2015, Indian Railways had revenues of 1634.50 billion rupees.

• Indian Railways is the world's seventh largest commercial or utility employer, by number of employees, with over 1.376 million employees as of last published figures in 2013.

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