Lok Sabha Question No. 609 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-02
Subject: Delay in Trains Running from their Source Station
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: JAGDAMBIKA PAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.609

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.12.2015

## DELAY IN TRAINS RUNNING FROM THEIR SOURCE STATION

609.  SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a large number of trains running in India are delayed from their source station, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b)  the  number  of  such  delays  over  the  past  3  years  as  compared  to  the total number of trains being run on the network;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  plans  to  rectify  this  problem  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps being taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

( SHRI MANOJ SINHA )

- (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. 609 BY SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 02.12.2015 REGARDING DELAY IN TRAINS RUNNING FROM THEIR SOURCE STATION.

(a)  &  (b)  The  average  number  of  Mail/Express  trains  originating  over  Indian Railways per day for the last 3 years is given below:

| Year                          |   Average number of originating trains per day. |
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2013-2014                     |                                            1505 |
| 2014-2015                     |                                            1572 |
| 2015-2016 (Upto October 2015) |                                            1602 |

Though  punctuality  of  Indian  Railways  is  recorded  and  monitored  on terminating basis, analysis shows that the following percentage of trains started late from their origin point due to various reasons:

| Year                        | Late start from originating point per day   |
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| 2013-2014                   | 17%                                         |
| 2014-2015                   | 19%                                         |
| 2015-2016Upto October 2015) | 17%                                         |

During the above period (April 2013-October 2015), 12% of the late starting trains  were  rescheduled due to late arrival of  link  trains  on  account of  various factors/failures.  Only  11% of total trains starting late had to be rescheduled by more than one hour. The rest started late by less than one hour owing to late arrival of link rakes and short lie-over between arrival and dispatch of the linked trains.

Late  arrival  of  trains  occurred  on  account  of  various  factors  related  to Railways internal working as well as external factors of which Railways are not in control  of.    Other  than  asset  failures,  various  constraints  /difficulties  which resulted in late  running of trains were  line capacity constraints on account of increasing passenger and freight traffic, adverse weather conditions (fog, rains, breaches); intermittent natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, heavy rains; heavy road traffic at  level crossing gates across the Indian Railways network; multi faceted law and order problems, including public agitations and bandh calls in  left  wing  extremism  affected  areas,  miscreant  activities  such  as  theft  of Railway assets; mid-section run over cases involving cattle and humans, etc.

(c) & (d) Railways have initiated various measures aimed at improving punctuality by  sensitization  of  staff  involved  in  train  operations,  controlling    asset  failures and their down-time,  prioritization of preventive maintenance of assets etc. State Governments  are  being  pursued  for  more  effective  resolution  of  law  and  order related problems. To  ease  congestion  high  priority  is  also  being  accorded  to  making resources  available  for  speedy  execution  of  capacity  augmentation  works  on Railways.  The consequent de-congestion of highly saturated routes will enhance systemic capability to run trains more punctually.

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