Adani Enterprises buy 30% of Trainman for Rs 3.5 crore
I apologize, but as of my last knowledge update in September 2021, I do not have any information regarding Adani Enterprises‘ acquisition of Start Enterprises Pvt Ltd (SEPL) or their ownership of the Trainman platform. It’s possible that this development occurred after my knowledge cutoff date. I recommend referring to reliable news sources or the official announcements from Adani Enterprises for the most up-to-date information on this matter.
SEPL refers to a company whose stake has been acquired by Adani Digital Labs Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises. According to the stock exchange filing, Adani Digital Labs has purchased a 29.81 percent stake in SEPL for a total amount of Rs 3.56 crore.
SEPL’s turnover for the fiscal year 2022-23, which spans from April 2022 to March 2023, was reported to be Rs 4.51 crore. Turnover typically refers to the total sales or revenue generated by a company from its primary business activities during a specific period.
Therefore, based on the information provided, SEPL generated a turnover of Rs 4.51 crore in the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Last month, Adani Enterprises, a prominent conglomerate in India, referred to SEPL (also known as Trainman) as “an online train booking and information platform.” However, on Saturday, Adani Enterprises changed its description of SEPL and identified it as a company involved in “e-commerce and website development.” This shift in description caused a minor controversy, with Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh implying that Adani’s acquisition of Trainman could potentially lead to a takeover of IRCTC, the ticketing and services division of Indian Railways.
The initial announcement by Adani Enterprises sparked concerns about the potential consolidation of the railway ticketing industry under their control. IRCTC is the official online portal for Indian Railways, providing ticketing services, catering, and tourism packages. It is a crucial platform used by millions of passengers across the country.
Jairam Ramesh, a member of the Indian National Congress, speculated that Adani’s acquisition of Trainman could be a precursor to a larger plan to acquire IRCTC. Such a takeover could have significant implications for the railway industry and the millions of users who rely on IRCTC’s services.
However, it’s important to note that Adani Enterprises has not made any official statement or indication of a direct intention to acquire IRCTC. The controversy arose primarily from the change in SEPL’s description and the subsequent speculation by Jairam Ramesh.
It’s worth mentioning that Adani Enterprises is a diversified conglomerate with interests in various sectors, including energy, logistics, infrastructure, and now apparently e-commerce and website development. While they have been expanding their operations in different industries, any specific plans related to the takeover of IRCTC remain speculative at this point.
The Indian Railways and IRCTC continue to function independently, providing their services to passengers across the country. Any future developments or changes in the railway ticketing industry would require official announcements or actions from the relevant authorities or companies involved.
IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) is the official online ticketing platform for Indian Railways. In response to allegations regarding competition between IRCTC and its agents, including Trainman, IRCTC issued a statement to deny such claims and provided some insights into the e-ticketing business segment.
According to IRCTC, approximately 14.5 lakh reserved tickets are booked daily on Indian Railways, and a significant majority of these bookings, around 81 percent, are e-tickets booked through IRCTC itself. This indicates that IRCTC’s platform is the preferred choice for a large number of passengers when it comes to online ticket booking.
IRCTC’s statement highlights that since the majority of e-ticket bookings are processed through their platform, there is no direct competition between IRCTC and its agents, including Trainman. Instead, these agents, including Trainman, serve as intermediaries or aggregators that help facilitate ticket bookings and provide additional services to customers.
While IRCTC is the primary platform for online ticket bookings, agents like Trainman may offer value-added services such as personalized ticket alerts, PNR status updates, train schedules, and other travel-related information. These agents cater to specific customer needs and provide convenience and assistance throughout the ticketing process.
Overall, IRCTC’s statement emphasizes that the e-ticketing business segment, including its agents like Trainman, plays a complementary role to IRCTC’s platform. They contribute to the overall ecosystem by providing services and catering to specific customer requirements, alongside the main ticketing platform offered by IRCTC.
Trainman, as a B2C partner of IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation), has stated that it contributes 0.13 percent of the total reserved ticketing. This means that a small fraction of the tickets booked through IRCTC’s platform is processed through Trainman’s services.
Being integrated with IRCTC, Trainman and other similar firms play a crucial role in facilitating a smooth ticketing process for customers. They provide an additional channel for users to book train tickets, offering convenience and accessibility. By collaborating with IRCTC, these B2C partners expand the reach of ticketing services and contribute to the overall efficiency of the reservation system.
Through Trainman’s integration with IRCTC, customers can benefit from a range of services, such as checking train availability, fare inquiries, PNR status tracking, seat availability predictions, and more. These services aim to simplify the ticketing experience for users, helping them make informed decisions and secure their train journeys without hassle.
By offering an alternative platform for ticket bookings, B2C partners like Trainman provide users with more options and enhance competition in the railway ticketing ecosystem. This competition can drive innovation, improve service quality, and ultimately benefit the customers by ensuring a smoother and more efficient ticketing process.
In summary, Trainman and other B2C partners integrated with IRCTC contribute a small percentage of the total reserved ticketing volume. Their presence expands the ticketing options available to customers, providing convenience and aiding in the overall efficiency of the ticketing process facilitated by IRCTC.
Trainman, founded in 2011 by Vineet Chirania and Karan Kumar, is an Indian travel booking app that offers various features and services to train passengers. It allows users to check the status of their Passenger Name Record (PNR), which is a unique identifier for a passenger’s reservation. This feature enables passengers to track the progress of their booking and stay updated on any changes or updates.
One of the notable features of Trainman is its prediction algorithm, which estimates the likelihood of a waitlisted ticket getting confirmed. This feature helps passengers assess their chances of securing a confirmed seat and make informed decisions about their travel plans.
Trainman also provides real-time information on seat availability, allowing users to quickly find alternate train options if their preferred choice is not available. Additionally, the app offers details on train running status, time table, coach positions, and fare calculations. These features help passengers plan their journeys efficiently and stay informed about their train’s progress and schedules.
In October 2021, Adani Enterprises, a conglomerate with diversified business interests, made its first investment in the travel booking and information sector by acquiring a minority stake in Cleartrip Pvt Ltd, an online travel aggregator associated with Flipkart. This strategic investment demonstrated Adani’s interest in expanding its presence in the travel industry.
Cleartrip is a popular online platform that enables users to book flights, hotels, and other travel-related services. By investing in Cleartrip, Adani Enterprises aimed to leverage the expertise and technology of the platform to enhance its own travel-related offerings and strengthen its presence in the sector.
With the subsequent investment in Trainman, Adani Enterprises extended its reach in the travel booking and information segment. These investments highlight the conglomerate’s interest in the travel industry and its recognition of the potential for growth and innovation in this sector.
By diversifying its portfolio and investing in companies like Cleartrip and Trainman, Adani Enterprises seeks to capitalize on the evolving travel and tourism market in India and provide customers with a comprehensive range of travel-related services. These investments align with the company’s broader strategy of expanding its business interests across various sectors and leveraging technological advancements to enhance customer experiences.
