Lok Sabha Question No. 2027 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-03
Subject: Punctuality of Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Poonam (Mahajan) Vajendla Rao, P.P. Chaudhary, Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2027 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.07.2019

## PUNCTUALITY OF TRAINS

2027.    SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN: SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY: SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  railways  to  run  trains  at  their scheduled time during the last five years;
- (b) whether  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  have  helped  to  operate trains on scheduled time;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government is considering to provide facility of food, shelter etc. to the passengers in the event of trains getting more delayed than its scheduled time;
- (e) if  so,  the  details  of  the  rules  likely  to  be  framed by the Government in this regard; and
- (f) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (c) Indian Railways (IR) constantly endeavors to run trains punctually. However,  trains  on  Indian  Railways  do  lose  punctuality  due  to  factors related to internal factors  (mainly attributable to equipment failures related to locomotives, Over Head Electrical cables, track, signal, mechanical etc, & saturated line capacity etc) as well as external factors (like  electricity grid  failures,  public  agitation,  adverse  weather  conditions  etc.)  of  which Railways are not in control.

In  order  to  address  the  issue  of  punctuality,  Railways  has  taken numerous steps including:

- (i) Rigorous monitoring at Divisional, Zonal and Railway Board levels.
- (ii) Standardization  of  rakes  and  provision  of  spare  rakes  to  improve punctuality.

(iii) Removal of infrastructure bottlenecks in a planned manner.

- (iv) Integrated  Mega  Blocks  are  planned  in  such  a  way  that  all  asset maintenance departments can do their work simultaneously.
- (v) End  to  end  running  of  some  trains  with  diesel  locomotives  to  avoid detention on account of loco changing from diesel to electric.
- (vi) Conversion of conventional rakes of Mail/Express trains (Integral Coach Factory rakes) into LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) rakes.

(vii) Rationalization of Time Table in order to make a group of similar speed trains.

(viii) Curtailment of stoppage time at major terminals.

(ix) Fencing  along  the  track  in  Allahabad  division  in  the  most  cattle  run over prone area.

- (x) Commissioning of 1 st  phase of Dedicated Freight Corridor.

(xi) Allahabad -Mughalsarai 3 rd  line work sanctioned (153 Kms.)

(xii) High capacity water pumps at watering stations to minimize detention on this account.

(xiii) Provision of Bye-pass stations to avoid engine reversal etc.

(xiv) Also,  for  attaining  accuracy  in  punctuality  data,  the  timing  of arrival and departures are prominently being captured automatically through  data-loggers.    The  punctuality  of  Mail/  Express  trains  on  Indian Railways  during  the  current  year  has  shown  70.57%  (upto  25 th   June)  as compared to 61.56 % for the corresponding period of last year.

(d)  to  (f)  In  case  of  late  running  of  trains  like  Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duronto, where catering charges are the part of the ticket fare, if the journey time is extended by more than 2 hours of the scheduled time, late running services are provided to passenger depending upon the timing. For other Mail/Express  trains,  catering  services  are  provided  on  payment  basis through  pantry  cars  attached  with  the  trains.    In  case  of  trains  running without  pantry  cars,  catering  services  are  provided  through  stalls  at  enroute stations, trains side vending and e-catering services.  These services are continued to be provided during late running of trains also. All  minimum  essential  amenities  including  shelter,  toilets,  waiting hall, retiring rooms, drinking water, benches etc have already been provided at all stations as per norms.  During late running of trains, such facilities are available for passengers affected by delay in trains.

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