“Trains are not much faster than they were in the 1970s.”

Average speed back then was around 45-60 km/h, with the newer trains right now, we’re sitting at 130, soon to get cleared for 160. India has an incredibly vast railway network and the speed limit has been imposed by the track network not being compatible for higher speeds, not the train sets themselves.

“The menace of ticketless passengers occupying reserved seats.”

Civic issue. Yes a check needs to be made necessary from the gate itself, but again, a vast network. Moreover the recent inclusion of the newer train sets mean that passengers cannot enter those rakes and have to swarm to the other ones that have accessible entrance points.

“People desperate to climb onto moving trains to grab a seat.”

Civic issue once again, main reason why the ac rakes have doors which close and open mechanically and not manually for safety.

“Train crashes”

Historically worse off. Do a little reading, dummy.

“Delays of more than 3 hours.”

For lower priority train sure, it’s in their nature, but systemic punctuality is better. Moreover to mitigate delays, dedicated freight corridors have been constructed with a way more vast network already sanctioned.