100 trains and counting cancelled since New Year: Indian Railways is stranded in fog
Railway minister Piyush Goyal said punctuality is railways' top priority.
More than 100 trains have been delayed and cancelled in the first three days of the New Year owing to the fog situation in the northern regions of India. Thousands of passengers are stranded, several New Year plans were shelved, and the waiting rooms of railway stations are crammed. The recurrence of the situation every winter clearly shows that the Indian Railways is lagging far behind its promised “fog-preparedness”.
The issue was raised in the Lok Sabha on January 3 during the Question Hour. Railway minister Piyush Goyal said, “Due to our constant efforts, less trains were running in late in comparison to flight during fogs.”
Flight delays can’t justify train delays
According to reports, 13 trains have been rescheduled, 59 delayed and 21 cancelled on January 3 because of the fog in the capital.
#Delhi Fog conditions continue to prevail in the national capital; Visuals from India Gate: 20 flights delayed, six cancelled; 64 trains delayed, 24 rescheduled and 21 cancelled due to low visibility in the region pic.twitter.com/zUoETcPxdf
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018
On December 31, thousands of passengers in nearly 400 trains were in for long periods of wait due to dense fog across the country. According to official data, close to 400 mail and express trains were delayed that day.
On January 1, trains like Patna Rajdhani Express and Poorva Express were 12 hours late, Rewa Express was 11 hours late and Magadh Express close to 11 hours late.
The situation is no better as far as airlines are concerned. But the railways, which carries 23 million passengers daily, can’t take pride in the fact that airlines in the country, which carry 100 million passengers annually, equally failed in the face of fog.
There is utter chaos at #DelhiAirport. People are running fast nowhere. Flights are either getting delayed by hours or completely cancelled. I changed, preponed, postponed two airlines bookings. Finally in flight after 3hours. Jai Ho.:) #FogKeSideEffects
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) January 1, 2018
???? Delhi fog disrupting our travel back to the UK. Delay from Pune was 35 mins, then 45 mins, now an hour. We just need to make our @AirFranceUK flight from Delhi after midnight (India time)!#DelhiFog
— Liezl Hesketh (@LiezlHesketh) January 2, 2018
@jayantsinha @PMOIndia Every year same story some fog and airlines and dgca gets cold feet now sisters flight to Patna gets cancelled whole plan to spend new year with parents goes for a toss and we want to run bullet train. Why haven’t be able to find solution to this fog issue
— Ashish (@aa00542) December 31, 2017
After being on the ground for what seems like forever, we're finally ready for takeoff. #DelhiFog, please be kind.
— Manish (@jimanish) January 2, 2018
Railways’ fog-preparedness
While the railways has indeed stepped up its messaging system, which informs passengers about delays, that the delays themselves can't be avoided still paints a sorry picture.
At a CII conference in October 2017, railway minister Piyush Goyal said, “I wanted to introduce fog lights before this winter. There is no such system anywhere in the world. We will soon do it.” As far as these fog lights are concerned, the Research Designs and Standards Organisation were finalising the specifications in November 2017.
About 4,920 Fog Pass Devices have been installed in the northern regions of the railways. These GPS-enabled devices can calculate the distance of a train from its next landmark and alert the driver about an approaching signal.
The traditional cracker method is used. Crackers are put on the track ahead of a station, and when a train passes over them, they burst, signalling to the driver that a station is approaching.
About 35 locomotives use the Train Protection Warning System (TPWS), which enables the driver to see the signals in his cabin.
Safety a priority, punctuality too
While answering a question in the Lok Sabha, the railway minister said that the government had consciously decided to make safety of passengers its priority. The punctuality of trains is also a top priority.
Govt. has taken a conscious decision to prioritise safety over other aspects even though punctuality of trains remains the top priority: @PiyushGoyal
— Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) January 3, 2018
This is how passengers reacted:
Punctuality..My foot pic.twitter.com/JqhS1HHuKg
— Abhishek Mantu Kumar Verma (@abhis971814) January 3, 2018
Sir, we all can see the punctuality of trains, mine was almost 24hrs late. And while i was in police station train start moving. I heard these kind of incidences since my childhood with train delays.. Nothing is resolved. I dnt wnt to say but this is a example of negligence
— Romil Gupta (@romilgupta03) January 3, 2018
Keeping the safety aspect as one of the prime objective is fair enough but the puncuality of trains mainly in the sub-urbs are still remain to be addressed....
— AVIJIT GHATAK (@obhijit4) January 3, 2018
You tweet is confusing, what’s top priority, safety or punctuality?
— Amitsingh Kshatriya (@Kshatriya_Amit) January 3, 2018
My Train time from delhi to Gkp in bihar Sampark kranti on 2nd Jan 2.15 pm and till time train not reach लखनऊ take approx 24 hour from Delhi to लखनऊ......Kis Panchualty ki baat kar rahe hai Sir????????
— Manish SINGH (@ManishS96748091) January 3, 2018
I think railway should be punish for the delaying train everyday. I m waiting at railway station for many hours and train delaying further. Train no 12581..pnr no. 2502939195 @RailMinIndia @PMOIndia #TrainDelay pic.twitter.com/iXdK5yLqtB
— yogesh saini (@ItbhuSaini) January 3, 2018
Hi @PiyushGoyal @PMOIndia @RailMinIndia I am traveling by Duranto Train 12214 & It is running 9 hrs late. It is seriously very bad experience, we are talking about bullet trains and all plz just ensure trains must run on time and mind it reason of delay is not fog. #pathetictrain pic.twitter.com/CkEJAmeebx
— sonicreations (@sonicreation) January 3, 2018