I think Garib Rath's honeymoon period was long over. New coaches aren't made, I guess, for this train and new trains of this type no longer introduced. It made sense on routes that already had Mail/Express and AC trains and it acted as a tertiary train. [On some routes like Lucknow - Raipur, it was introduced as the first train which makes no sense].
My gripe with Garib Rath is that it targets no one. It is expensive for General and SL folks. It is in a way, more uncomfortable than SL...
more... due to the inclusion of side middle berth[ which leads to more people, more luggage and ultimately a sense of suffocation ]. It can't compete with 2A or 1A passengers either who want luxury. Hence, I always thought that GR trains were aimed at no one in particular. It missed a certain segment.It 'may' make sense to continue running them on certain routes as long as they are viable but IMO, they should be removed and replaced on routes where they are the only link.
IR should slowly replace it's aging GR fleet with mostly LHB SL coaches with a few 3A coaches here and there. That would make more sense. 4 GN, 9SL, 4 third AC,1 second AC would be IMO, a better config.
please wait...Translate to HindiMujhe lagta hai Garib Rath ka honeymoon period khatam ho gaya tha. Naye coaches toh shayad iss train ke liye banaye nahi gaye hai aur iss type ke naye trains ab introduce nahi kiye jate. Yeh toh tab thik tha jab already Mail/Express aur AC trains route pe chal rahe the aur yeh tertiary train ka kaam karti thi. (Kuch routes pe jaise Lucknow - Raipur, yeh pehli train ke roop mein introduce ki gayi thi, jisse koi sense nahi ban raha tha).
Mere saath ki samasya Garib Rath se hai ki yeh kisi ko target nahi karti. General aur SL walo ke liye expensive hai. Yeh SL se uncomfortable bhi hai side middle berth ki wajah se (jisse aur log, aur luggage ho jata hai aur ultimately saans lene ka ahsaas hota hai). Yeh 2A aur 1A passengers se compete bhi nahi kar sakti hai jo luxury chahte hai. Isliye, mujhe hamesha lagta tha ki GR trains kisi specific segment ko target nahi karti. Kisi bhi route pe woh viable hai toh chalne dijiye par meri raay mein, woh routes pe yeh hata deni chahiye jahaan yeh ekmatra link hai.
IR ko dheere dheere apni purani GR fleet ko mostly LHB SL coaches se badalna chahiye, thode 3A coaches yahaan wahaan. Yeh zyada sense banayega. 4 GN, 9 SL, 4 third AC, 1 second AC meri najar mein, ek behtar config hoga.