Indian Railways Achieves 80% Punctuality Rate, Outperforming Several European Countries

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced in the Rajya Sabha that Indian Railways' overall punctuality has reached an impressive 80 percent, surpassing the performance of numerous European countries.

During Question Hour, the minister highlighted that 70 railway divisions across India have achieved punctuality rates exceeding 90 percent. This remarkable improvement stems from enhanced maintenance practices and systematic operational upgrades implemented in recent years.

"The overall punctuality of Railways has touched 80 percent, which is a significant achievement. In 70 railway divisions, the punctuality is more than 90 percent. The Indian Railways is better in punctuality than several European countries," Vaishnaw stated to the House.

The minister also mentioned that 82 train services currently operate from the historically and culturally significant Ballia station.

Addressing railway development in Uttar Pradesh, Vaishnaw emphasized that Prime Minister Modi has substantially increased the railway projects budget in the state. He noted that prior to 2014, only Rs 100 crore was allocated, but that figure has multiplied several times since then.

When questioned about railway infrastructure, the minister stressed that significant efforts have been directed toward developing under-bridges and over-bridges, with safety being a primary concern. "Over 100 designs have been developed especially for over-bridges to ensure speedy approvals for development," he explained.