Lok Sabha Question No. 1658 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-27
Subject: Superfast Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1658 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2016

## SUPERFAST TRAINS

1658. SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Railways  is  aware  that  Superfast  trains  are running late by three to four hours;
- (b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current  year,  zone-wise  along  with  steps  taken  or  proposed  to  be taken  to  ensure  punctuality  of  these  trains  and  do  away  with superfast charge on late running trains;
- (c)  whether the Railways proposes to increase the frequency of different trains passing through Karnataka to accommodate the rising number of passengers; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the proposal is likely to be implemented?

## 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.

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1658 BY SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 27.07.2016 REGARDING SUPERFAST TRAINS

- (a) Yes, Madam.
- (b) On Indian Railways, punctuality of Superfast Mail/Express trains is  calculated  on  terminating  basis  (after  completion  of  its  journey). The  details  of  Mail/Express  trains  categorized  as  Super  fast  train services  that  lost  punctuality  during  the  last  three  years  and  the current year, on terminating basis are as under:

| YEAR     | Average number of M/Exp trains categorized as Super fast train services terminating per day   | Average number of Super fast train services lost punctuality by more than 3 hours per day   |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|          | 35                                                                                            | 2013-14 478                                                                                 |
| 2014-15  | 47                                                                                            | 503                                                                                         |
| 2015-16  | 530 44                                                                                        |                                                                                             |
| 2016-17* | 539 31                                                                                        |                                                                                             |

(* upto 20th july 2016)

Broadly,  trains  lose  punctuality  on  Indian  Railways  due  to  factors related  to  its  internal  working  as  well  as  external  factors  of  which Railways are not in control of. Punctuality performance of Mail/Express trains including Super fast trains, particularly those traversing through quadrilateral  routes  such  as  Delhi-Howrah,  Delhi-Mumbai,  HowrahChennai  &  Chennai-Mumbai  corridors  and  diagonal  routes  of  DelhiChennai  &  Howrah-Mumbai  has  been  adversely  impacted  as  these sectors  are  facing  severe  capacity  constraints  due  to  saturated  line capacity. Apart from passenger traffic, these routes are intensely being used  for  carrying  freight  traffic  too.  Trains  also  get  delayed  due  to asset/equipment  failures  and  terminal  capacity  constraints  at  some major terminals.

However,  external  factors  which  are  beyond  Railways'  control significantly  hurt  the  punctual  running  of  trains  and  pose  a  serious challenge  on  punctuality  front.  Such  constraints  being  faced  by  the railways are numerous such as-

-  Adverse  weather  conditions  (Fog,  heavy  rains  during  monsoon etc.)
-  Intermittent  natural  calamities  such  as  floods,  cyclones,  heavy rains.
-  Heavy road traffic at level crossing gates.
-  Multi  faceted  law  &  order  problem  such  as  bandh  calls  in  left wing  extremism  affected  areas  of  Bihar  &  Jharkhand,  public agitations related to non-railways factors (Gurjar agitation, Patidar  agitation,  Dera  Sachcha  Sauda  agitation,  Jaat  agitation for reservation etc.)
- 
- Miscreant activity such as theft of railway assets.

Railways  have  initiated  various  measures  aimed  at  improving punctuality of trains over Indian Railways network by sensitization of staff  involved  in  train  operations,  controlling  asset  failures  and  their down-time,  prioritization  of  preventive  maintenance  of  assets,  time tabling improvements, better terminal management etc. State Governments  are continuously being pursued for more  effective resolution of law & order problems.

Apart from the above, medium and long term measures are also being taken for capacity augmentation by way of providing automatic Jhansi-Mathura-New Delhi sectors, provision of 3rd line corridors in a Aligarh-Ghaziabad, Mathura-Palwal-New  Delhi  and  Bhopal-Bina  sectors,  providing  Low Height  Subways  (LHS)  and  Road  Over  Bridges  (ROBs)  on  congested routes  for  eliminating  level  crossing  gates,  execution  of  Eastern  and signaling in a phased manner over the Mughalsarai-Kanpur and Bhopalphased manner over Mughalsarai-Allahabad, Western dedicated freight corridors etc. These  steps  collectively  will,  to  some  extent,  enhance  the systemic capability to run trains more punctually. Superfast  surcharge  is  levied  for  travel  by  certain  trains  whose average  speed  on  the  entire  run  in  both  Up  and  Down  direction  is minimum 55 kmph on Broad Gauge and 45 kmph on Metre Gauge and is not linked with occasional late running of trains due to circumstances beyond Railways' control.  At present, there is no proposal to withdraw superfast surcharge on late running of trains.

(c) No, Madam.

(d) Does not arise.

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