Lok Sabha Question No. 3882 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-09
Subject: Delay of Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA, Kunhalikutty, P.K.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3882 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2017

## DELAY OF TRAINS

3882. SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA: SHRI P.K. KUNHALIKUTTY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) the annual percentage of trains delayed during the last four years;
- (b)  whether  any  reduction  has  been  noticed  in  delayed  running  of  trains after the present Government assumed office in 2014 and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the zone that witnessed the highest number of delays last year and the reasons identified for these delays; and
- (d)  the  details  of  the  specific  measures  taken/planned  to  reduce  the number of delays of trains?

ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS ( SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN )

- (a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS    (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION   NO. 3882 BY  SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA AND SHRI  P.K.  KUNHALIKUTTY  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 09.08.2017 REGARDING DELAY OF TRAINS

(a)  &  (b)  On  Indian  Railways, the average number of Mail/Express trains originating and terminating per day and punctuality performance for the last 3 years and current financial year is given below:

| Year                                |   Average number of originating trains per day |   Originating Punctuality performance (%) |   Average number of terminating trains per day |   Terminating Punctuality performance (%) |
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| 2014-2015                           |                                           1571 |                                     80.56 |                                           1571 |                                     79.37 |
| 2015-2016                           |                                           1605 |                                     83.15 |                                           1605 |                                     77.51 |
| 2016-2017                           |                                           1630 |                                     83.48 |                                           1630 |                                     76.69 |
| 2017-2018 (April 2017 to July 2017) |                                           1655 |                                     86.18 |                                           1655 |                                     78.39 |

Due  to  constant  endeavour,  originating  punctuality  performance  of Indian  Railways  has  increased  by  around  5%  over  last  three  years  and terminating  punctuality  has  been  maintained  at  almost    the  same  level despite increase in the number of trains run during the last three years.

(c)  Indian  Railways  has  7  high  density  network  routes  along  with  feeder routes  which  constitute  18%  of  the  network  but  carry  58%  of  the  total traffic,  which  is  of  mixed  nature  i.e.,  freight  and  passenger  traffic.  North Central Zone which includes most saturated and highly congested routes such  as  Delhi  -Allahabad-Mughalsarai  and  Delhi-  Agra-Jhansi  -Bina  have been  identified  as  the  zone  where  the  trains  are  mostly  delayed.    The capacity  utilisation  of  these  routes  range  between  150-200%    which affects  the  mobility  of  rail  traffic  including  punctuality  of  trains.    While most of the trains reach their destination on time, some trains, at times, get delayed due to causes, some of which are in the control of Railways such as:-

- (1) asset  failures  related  to  locomotives,  over  head  equipment,  track, signal & coaches and wagon etc.,
- (2) saturated line capacity due to heavy volumes  of freight and passenger  traffic  leading  to  route  congestion  in  sectors    like  DelhiGhaziabad-Kanpur-Mugalsarai and Delhi-Agra-Jhansi-Bina sections, where line capacity utilization is 110% to 160%.
- (3) blocks to be given for maintenance of fixed assets - tracks, signals, overhead  equipment  and  for  increasing  line  and  terminal  capacity, replacement of level crossings by limited height subways and
- (4)  some reasons beyond the  control of the Railways, such as security related law and order problems - observance of Bandhs and security threats in Left Wing Extremist areas of East Central Railway requiring reduction of speeds for maintaining the safety of operations, passing of  trains  through the elephant corridor with restricted speed as per the  laid  down  stipulations,  natural  calamities,  public  agitations, electricity  grid  failures,  bad  weather,  cattle  run  over  cases,  heavy road traffic at level crossing gates etc.
5. (d)    Indian  Railways have initiated various short and long term measures for addressing  the problem  of capacity constraints  on  MughalsaraiAllahabad-Ghaziabad sector of North Central Railway which include provision  of  automatic  signaling  from  Aligarh  to  Ghaziabad  on  3 rd   line, provision  of  3 rd   line  between  Agra-Jhansi-Bina,  extension  of  platforms, commissioning of longer loop lines at 10 stations, raising of speed to 160 kmph on New Delhi- Mughalsarai route besides the construction of doubleline dedicated  freight corridor  (DFC)  between  Mughalsarai-AllahabadKhurja.

Further, Railways have initiated various measures such as launching of punctuality drives, sensitising staff involved in train operations, improving asset reliability,  rectification  of  asset  failures  in  the  shortest possible  time  and  having  better  co-ordination  with  State  Governments and civil authorities to deal with law & order problems effectively etc.

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