PIB News Update: Indian Railways is continuously working for the improvement of the punctuality of the trains. With its continued effort, Indian Railways has succeeded in improving the Punctuality Performance in 2019-20 in comparison to 2018-19. The average of punctuality performance percentage from April to September in the financial year 2019-20 of Mail/Express trains has improved to 74.21% in comparison to 67.05% from April to September in the financial year 2018-19.
The punctuality performance percentage of the Passenger Trains of Indian Railways for the period of April to September in the financial year 2019-20 improved to 70.54% in comparison to 66.58% from April to September in the financial year 2018-19.
The details of punctuality performance percentage of Indian Railways during 2018-19 and 2019-20 month-wise are as follows:-
| Punctuality % on Indian Railways during 2018-19 & 2019-20 | ||||
| Month | Mail /Express | Passenger | ||
| 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | |
| Apr | 60.52 | 72.13 | 65.21 | 68.87 |
| May | 59.95 | 68.78 | 64.86 | 67.33 |
| Jun | 65.23 | 70.83 | 65.68 | 67.26 |
| Jul | 70.12 | 74.10 | 66.96 | 69.58 |
| Aug | 72.66 | 78.20 | 67.83 | 74.44 |
| Sep | 73.52 | 81.42 | 68.97 | 75.77 |
| IR PP% | 67.05 | 74.21 | 66.58 | 70.54 |
In order to improve the punctuality, Railways has taken numerous steps including:
- Rigorous monitoring at Divisional, Zonal and Railway Board levels.
- Removal of infrastructure bottlenecks in a planned manner.
- Integrated Mega Blocks are planned in such a way that all asset maintenance departments can do their work simultaneously.
- End to end running of some trains with diesel locomotives to avoid detention on account of loco changing from diesel to electric.
- Conversion of conventional rakes of Mail/Express trains (Integral Coach Factory rakes) into LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) rakes.
- Rationalization of Time Table in order to make a group of similar speed trains.
- Curtailment of stoppage time at major terminals.
- Commissioning of 1st phase of Dedicated Freight Corridor.
- High capacity water pumps at watering stations to minimize detention on this account.
- Provision of Bye-pass stations to avoid engine reversal etc.
- Also, for attaining accuracy in punctuality data, the timing of arrival and departures are prominently being captured automatically through data-loggers. It is being monitored through dashboards – called “Rail Drishti” at highest level to promote punctuality.