After successful run of premium express (with exorbitant fates) between Delhi & Mumbai, where most of the passengers are company officials and business travellers, the concept was hurriedly implemented pan India including smaller cities. Delhi & Mumbai are the largest & richest cities in India. Except few metro cities, people in general does not have that kind of money. Most of the Suvidha trains are not getting filled up in spite of having much lesser coaches than 24 where as regular trains are running with huge waiting list. This situation is driving many passengers towards buses (thanks to superb Volvo Bus Services which are alarmingly proliferating on longer and longer routes), economy airlines and own cars thanks to tremendous development in expressway & highway network.
Policy...
more... of extreme mollycodling the majority of passengers and extreme mauling the remaining is gross injustice which does not auger well for railways as well as nation. Passengers travelling in general Mahamana coach with aircraft like interiors with good speed at hardly 5% of air fare between the same destination. And ones in Suvidha trains, many times with poor coaches, low speed and poor punctuality, shall be paying much more than the air fare.
Danger bells are ringing louder. Earlier 4 routes and now 7 more, today Air India and tomorrow other airlines may follow the suit. It is high time to stop the so called Suvidaha trains charging exorbitant fares. Or the fares must be drastically brought down to reasonable level.