New Delhi, 5 December (H.S.): Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said that Indian Railways has recorded a remarkable improvement in punctuality, with the overall network now operating at nearly 80% on-time performance.

Speaking during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Vaishnaw informed members that out of the country’s 70 railway divisions, as many as 25 divisions have achieved punctuality levels exceeding 90%. He attributed this progress to systemic operational reforms and strengthened maintenance practices implemented over the past few years.

“The continuous improvement in train punctuality reflects the impact of advanced technologies, operational upgrades, and disciplined execution across the network,” the minister noted.

Outperforming European Rail Standards

Highlighting Indian Railways’ growing reliability, Vaishnaw stated that India’s on-time performance now surpasses that of several leading European rail systems. “For instance, Germany’s Deutsche Bahn long-distance services recorded a punctuality rate of 67.4% in 2024, while Indian Railways has gone far beyond that benchmark,” he pointed out.

The Railway Minister added that technological modernization, enhanced monitoring systems, and improved traffic management operations have significantly strengthened punctuality and service reliability.

Continuous Focus on Efficiency

According to Vaishnaw, sustained efforts are underway to further elevate punctuality levels through predictive maintenance, data analytics, and real-time tracking. “Our target is to make train operations more reliable and passenger-friendly, setting new standards in global railway efficiency,” he emphasized.

Indian Railways’ improved performance reflects the government’s broader agenda of leveraging innovation and infrastructure modernization to enhance the experience of millions of passengers across the country.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar