One of the major issues affecting railways is punctuality which is accorded prime importance in train operations. At times, trains get delayed not only due to the factors related to its internal working but also external factors which are beyond the control of railways, union minister Rajen Gohain informed parliament.

In addition to asset failures, certain factors such as line capacity and terminal 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 railways network, mid-section run over cases involving cattle and humans etc. also adversely affect the punctuality of trains.

The minister said that an internal committee of railways has been constituted by the ministry to carry out an analysis of the factors affecting punctuality and to recommend structured measures to bring perceptible change in the areas related to the punctuality.

He said that the committee is analysing the reasons for late arrival and departure of trains and holding deliberations taking into account the various aspects of the passenger train operations including the measures to improve punctuality from the passenger/customer satisfaction point of view.