RAIL-PUNCTUALITY 2 LAST

Other than asset failures, various constraints Other than asset failures, various constraints/difficulties which adversely affect punctuality are numerous,such as line capacity constraints on account of increasingpassenger and freight traffic, adverse weather conditions(fog, rains, breaches), intermittent natural calamities suchas floods, cyclones, heavy rains; heavy road traffic at levelcrossing gates across the rail network. Law and order problems, including public agitations andbandh calls in left wing extremism-affected areas, miscreantactivities such as theft of railway assets, mid-section runover cases involving cattle and humans also cause delays intrain operation. Punctuality performance of mail/express trains,particularly those traversing through quadrilateral routessuch as Delhi-Howrah, Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Chennai andHowrah-Mumbai corridors have been adversely impacted as thesesectors are facing severe capacity constraint due to saturatedline capacity. These routes are also intensely being used for carryingfreight traffic including raw materials, coal for powergeneration needs, petroleum products, food grains, fertiliser,steel and export oriented container traffic. PTI ARU KIS DVKIS