The punctuality of mail and express trains has witnessed a decline, reaching 73 per cent by mid-August in the current financial year. This figure marks a decrease of around 11 per cent compared to the same period last year. As per a TOI report, the speed of freight trains has also seen a reduction, now standing at 27.5 kmph for this period, down from 32.4 kmph. Despite this, total freight loading has experienced a slight increase of 1%, reaching a total of 558 million tonnes.
Railway authorities attribute this decline to a heightened emphasis on track maintenance and allocating necessary time blocks for both new and upkeep works. An official told TOI, “There is no compromise with regard to ensuring proper blocks for taking up any work on our network.
