New Delhi: As many as 24 divisions of Indian Railways have recorded more than 90 per cent punctuality during the current financial year so far, while 19 divisions reported punctuality levels between 80 and 90 per cent, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
Replying to a question in the House, Vaishnaw said overall punctuality across all railway divisions stood at over 77 per cent during 2025–26 up to February.
The minister said Indian Railways accords high priority to punctual train operations and has adopted several technological and operational measures to ensure real-time monitoring and improved performance. These include the use of integrated digital platforms such as the Integrated Coaching Management System (ICMS) and the Control Office Application (COA), which are linked with the National Train Enquiry System.
He said GPS-based monitoring tools like the Real-Time Train Information System and Remote Monitoring and Management of Locomotives and Trains are being used for automatic capture of train movement data, while station signalling systems are supported by data loggers to ensure accurate reporting of train arrivals and departures.
To enhance passenger comfort and operational efficiency, Indian Railways has also replaced conventional ICF coaches with modern LHB coaches. More than 50,000 LHB coaches have been produced since 2018, and newer trains such as Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and Amrit Bharat trains with faster acceleration and deceleration are being introduced.
The minister said rationalisation of train timetables has also been undertaken with the assistance of IIT-Mumbai through traffic simulation to minimise delays and improve punctuality.
For safer operations during foggy weather, Indian Railways has deployed 29,848 GPS-based portable ‘Fog Safe Devices’ for loco pilots. These devices alert drivers in advance about approaching signals, level crossings and speed restrictions during low visibility conditions.
Additionally, the Modified Semi-Automatic Stop Signal system has been introduced in automatic signalling territories to minimise delays and improve safety during fog and adverse weather conditions.
The minister said challenges such as fog, heavy traffic load, alarm chain pulling, agitations, cattle run-overs and maintenance activities continue to affect punctual train operations.
Indian Railways currently operates around 25,000 trains daily, including passenger, suburban and freight services, often on shared tracks with varying speeds, which can impact schedule adherence.
To address congestion and improve capacity, major infrastructure projects such as the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor are being developed to create exclusive freight routes.
Vaishnaw said capacity expansion of the rail network has accelerated in recent years. Between 2014 and 2025, a total of 34,428 km of new tracks were commissioned at an average pace of 8.6 km per day, compared with 7,599 km between 2009 and 2014.
He added that as of April 1, 2025, a total of 431 railway infrastructure projects covering nearly 35,966 km and costing about ₹6.75 lakh crore have been sanctioned across the country, which are expected to significantly improve operational efficiency and punctuality once completed.
