Cancellation of trains due to fog and cold
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA
QUESTION NO 1394
ANSWERED ON 29.12.2017
Cancellation of trains due to fog and cold
1394 Dr. T. Subbarami Reddy
Smt. Ambika Soni
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state :-
(a) the number of trains cancelled due to cold waves and fog during the last two years and in the current winter season, separately;
(b) the alternative arrangements made, in view of prior cancellation of certain trains;
(c) whether it is a fact that the trains from New Delhi to Punjab, South and Northwest India reached their destinations too late during the winter season;
(d) the details of such trains running late for more than two hours; and
(e) the steps taken by Railways considering the problems being faced by passengers due to late arrival and departure of trains?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1394 BY DR. T. SUBBARAMI REDDY AND SHRIMATI AMBIKA SONI ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 29.12.2017 REGARDING CANCELLATION OF TRAINS DUE TO FOG AND COLD.
(a) Figures pertaining to Mail/Express trains cancelled due to fog during the last two years and the current winter season are indicated below:
2015-16 : 3349
2016-17 : 3536
2017-18 (up to 20.12.2017) : 994
(b) Prior cancellation of trains during fog is done, inter alia, taking into consideration trains which have poor occupancy, availability of alternative services for sectors which would be affected by cancellation and availability of spare rakes which may be needed to cater to late running of trains.
(c) Normally in the past, thick foggy condition has been experienced in the months of December, January and February every year, particularly in parts served by Northern Railway, North Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, North Western Railway, East Central Railway, Eastern Railway, Northeast Frontier Railway and West Central Railway but during current financial year, fog started early in the first week of November 2017 and dense fog enveloped some additional Railway Zones such as East Coast Railway, South Eastern Railway, South Central Railway, Southern Railway, Central Railway and Western Railway leading to delayed running of trains including trains from New Delhi to Punjab, South and Northwest India.
(d) During the current winter season, out of total scheduled 83131 Mail/Express train trips, 15751 Mail/Express trains i.e. 19% of total Mail/Express trains were delayed by more than 2 (Two) hours owing to various factors including early onset of fog during the period from 01.11.2017 to 20.12.2017.
(e) Indian Railways have initiated various initiatives such as prioritization of preventive maintenance of assets to minimize asset failures, capacity enhancement projects by construction of additional loop lines at stations, doubling, construction of third line corridors, automatic signaling, construction of low height subway to replace level crossings, Rail Under Bridges and Rail Over Bridges etc. In addition, Zonal Railways have also been advised to have better coordination with Civil and Police authorities of States to deal with situations arising out of law and order problems. In order to avoid passenger inconvenience due to late running of trains, sending of intimation through SMS regarding late running of trains has also been introduced in some trains on a trial basis. Further, provision of scratch rakes wherever operationally feasible, is also undertaken to ensure that minimum inconvenience is caused to passengers.
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