Better than last year, but short of target
Indian Railways has achieved improved average punctuality of Mail and Express trains significantly in April and May 2019 compared to the same period last year, data from the organization suggests.
However, performance continues to lag behind the target of 75% set for 2019-20.
Overall, IR’s punctuality performance was measured at 70.29% for the months of April and May 2019 compared to 61% for the same months in 2018.
Zone-wise, the top three performing zones were Western Railway (WR), North Western Railway (NWR) and Central Railway (CR) performing at 90.13%, 88.44% and 84.7% respectively.
The worst performing zones were North Central Railway (NCR) at 52.63%, South East Central Railway (SECR) at 55.18% and South Western Railway (SWR) at 60.06%.
Allahabad, Lucknow, Nagpur (SECR), Howrah, Sonpur, Chakradharpur, Moradabad, Alipurduar and Katihar divisions were specifically called out for poor performance.
With Railway Minister Piyush Goyal ordered the organization to put maintenance on top priority, punctuality figures dipped to lows of 60% in 2018-19. A series of accidents occurred in quick succession in 2016-17. The paucity of time available for maintenance of track and lineside assets, as a result of heavy traffic, was identified as a key reason.
This forced the move to clear maintenance work backlog at the cost of high punctuality figures but has proven effective, as sharply declining accident rates since the year 2017-18 show.
Image courtesy : Rohit Mohan/IRFCA
is this punctuality improvement by changing schedules to accommodate more run time? Railways can work more efficiently in improving running times for trains like 12703/04, 12603/04, 17229/30 by using already completed electrified traction on NLPD-BN route on GNT-SC section with not changing WAPs @ GNT; though CRS inspection is complete, trial run is complete, yet to ply WAPs on this route for unknown reasons. Also using LHB coaches on some of the long distance trains on GNT-SC section would help in increasing speed and reduce running time.