You cannot compare PRR HWH Intercity train with RNC HWH Shatabdi Express. There are 5 daily flights from IXR to CCU at reasonable rates. RNC is capital city and has much more affluent people than PRR, and people of PRR will obviously prefer Non AC classes more. Plus Shatabdi is a full AC train, and you cannot compare it with a normal Intercity. Also out of PRR-HWH/SDAH via ASN only 1 may ever run. Regarding Humsafar, even after removal of flexi fare, it will not fill up to be honest. Asansol alone doesn't have the capability to fill even 7-8 3AC coaches and other than PRR, other stations would have better, cheaper options. So running a normal train with AC and SL coaches would be better. Also Rajdhani has the same story, Tata and PRR may provide the patronage, but the train will still run 50% empty. Better would be giving...
more... GNWL quota to PRR on 22857 and 12443. Demand to Delhi from PRR is less as compared to cities like TATA or even BKSC