Prayagraj: To boost non-fare revenue, the North Central Railway (NCR) has decided to introduce commercial advertisements on train coaches in its Prayagraj Division. Railway officials said the initiative will begin with the Kanpur Shatabdi Express, for which a tender has been issued. Officials said the move aims to enhance non-fare earnings by utilising train surfaces for commercial publicity. Once advertisements are implemented on the Kanpur Shatabdi Express, the system is likely to be extended to other trains operating under the division as well.NCR’s chief public relations officer Shashikant Tripathi said several railway zones across the country are already generating revenue through advertisements on trains, particularly on premium and high-visibility services. Within NCR itself, the Jhansi division has been earning revenue by displaying advertisements on about 16 trains, including services such as Chambal Express, Bundelkhand Express and Barauni Mail. The officials said advertisements will be placed in a manner that does not affect safety standards or visibility markings on coaches. The plan is also expected to attract major brands seeking wider public visibility through railway networks that connect multiple cities and carry 1000s of passengers daily.In another important development, NCR secured the top position among the country’s 17 railway zones with 98.52% punctuality on March 5. The Prayagraj division played a key role in this performance, registering 98.03% punctuality for mail and express trains on the same day, the best figure recorded by the division so far in 2026.Railway officials attributed the achievement to improved operational management and coordinated efforts of different departments. On that day, 254 mail and express trains were operated across the division, of which 249 ran on schedule, reflecting the zone’s focus on efficient train operations and improved passenger services.
