Marketing skills & wisdom is proving to be Achilles heel of IR, and this news is another marketing failure of IR. If summer specials are being cancelled in very high traffic routes like Chennai Trichy/Madurai, Bangaluru-Trichy/Coimbatore routes, it is very surprising.
(1) Assessment of traffic demand-Market Survey, data collection and analysis before decision of running a special train
(2) Proper time slot of the train
(3)...
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Punctual running of special train
(4) Proper pantry facilities or arrangement for catering from station canteens
(5) Proper advertisement have to be made in advance so that people have enough time to plan journey and book tickets in the special trains.
(6) Proper pricing of special trains- Most of the special trains run on special/ Suvidha fare which are much higher than normal fare. Paxs of all the regions/cities are not rich enough to pay such high fares. Hence most of the trains may be operated at normal fare. Higher fares charged by IR for the inferior special trains is one of the major reason for their flop show.
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Special trains in general are not punctual, have no proper pantry arrangement, and are liable to be cancelled any time if booking is lower than expected. Then why should pax. book tickets in special trains at much higher fare than the regular trains which otherwise are much better.
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IR have taken a policy decision to run duplicate trains to be run just after the for the most popular trains which perennially have very long waiting lists. Then why they go for announcements of fancy special trains, the zones can be given powers to run a "duplicate train" whenever the waiting lists go above a defined limit. Norms can be made which when fulfilled, should automatically empower the Zonal Rlys to operate the "duplicate train" for the regular train. The Wait listed paxs of such popular trains may be asked to give option to allot the accommodation in "duplicate train" if operated. The paxs at all the intermediate stations shall come to know about the duplicate train and shall skip the crowded original train and board the duplicate train, much like people leave abnormally crowded suburban train to catch the next train.