Executive Summary:
This document is the answer from the Minister of Railways to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 650, addressed on July 23, 2025, concerning delays, cleanliness, coach availability, and travel time for the Panchavati and Rajya Rani Express trains between Mumbai CSMT and Nashik Road. It details the reasons for delays, steps taken to prevent them, measures for cleanliness, coach augmentation considerations, and travel time reduction efforts. The Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, provides the response.
Key Points / Main Content:
Train Punctuality and Delays:
* Indian Railways strives to run trains on time, but delays occur due to factors like weather, asset failures, and unforeseen circumstances.
* Remedial measures are implemented based on assessments of factors causing delays.
* High priority is given to resources for critical capacity augmentation.
* Panchavati Express and Rajya Rani Express have maintained over 80% punctuality in the last three months.
Coach Composition and Augmentation:
* Panchavati Express has 22 coaches, including 9 General Class and 2 MST coaches.
* Rajya Rani Express has 17 coaches, including 4 General Class coaches.
* Augmentation of train services is an ongoing process, subject to traffic justification, operational feasibility, and resource availability.
Travel Time Reduction:
* Speeding up train services is ongoing, dependent on factors like speed limits, track gradient, and signaling systems.
* Train services are charted at Maximum Permissible Speed, considering rolling stock speed potential.
Cleanliness and Hygiene:
* Cleanliness is a continuous process with efforts to maintain trains in proper condition.
* On-Board Housekeeping Staff Service ensures cleanliness and handles passenger complaints.
* Mechanized Coach Cleaning is used during primary maintenance.
* Regular inspections are conducted to ensure proper upkeep and water availability.
* All passenger coaches have bio-toilets installed.
* Watering is done at enroute stations at defined intervals to ensure adequate water.
* Rail Madad portal is available for passengers to raise complaints and provide feedback.
* Passenger feedback is regularly monitored.
Impact Analysis:
Indian Railways:
* Impact: Required to continuously improve punctuality, cleanliness, and address passenger concerns. Must manage resources to augment train services and reduce travel times while balancing various constraints.
* Action Required: Continue implementing remedial measures for delays, maintaining cleanliness standards, evaluating coach augmentation possibilities, and optimizing train schedules.
Passengers (especially Season Ticket Holders):
* Impact: Directly affected by train delays, cleanliness standards, coach availability, and travel times.
* Action Required: Utilize the Rail Madad portal to report issues and provide feedback.
Key Entities Referenced
Panchavati Express: A train, specifically 12109/12110 CSMT-Manmad Panchavati Express, mentioned in the context of delays and passenger facilities.
Rajya Rani Express: A train, specifically 17611/17612 CSMT H.S. Nanded Rajya Rani Express, mentioned in the context of delays and passenger facilities.
Mumbai CSMT: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, a major railway station in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and the origin point for the mentioned trains.
Nashik Road: A railway station in Nashik, Maharashtra, a destination for the Panchavati Express.
SHRI RAJABHAU PARAG PRAKASH WAJE: Name of the person who raised the unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding the delays of Panchavati and Rajya Rani Express trains.
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: The Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
Manmad: A railway station and a destination for Panchavati express.
H.S. Nanded: Hazur Sahib Nanded, a railway station and a destination for Rajya Rani express.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 650
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025
REGULAR DELAYS FOR PANCHAVATI AND RAJYA RANI EXPRESS TRAINS
650. SHRI RAJABHAU PARAG PRAKASH WAJE:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken cognisance of regular delays in both
the directions for Panchavati (12109/12110) and Rajya Rani (17611/17612)
Express trains while travelling between Mumbai CSMT and Nashik Road
stations;
(b) if so, the reasons for the same and the details of the steps taken by the
Government to prevent such delays in future;
(c) whether the Government has taken cognisance about lack of
cleanliness, hygiene and even water availability at times in the above-
mentioned trains;
(d) if so, the details of steps taken to address the problems;
(e) whether the Government considers increasing number of coaches,
particularly unreserved coaches in above mentioned trains which are of
immense importance for season ticketholders, if so, the details thereof; and
(f) whether the Government considers reducing travel time of the above-
mentioned trains while travelling towards Mumbai so that the trains may
reach CSMT before 9.30AM which will help daily commuters, if so, the
details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (f) Indian Railways makes all possible efforts to run trains on time.
Several factors affect punctual running of trains which include foggy
weather, path constraints, asset failures, alarm chain pulling, agitations,cattle run over and other unforeseen circumstances. Based on assessments
of factors impeding the punctual running of trains, remedial measures, both
short term and long term, are initiated. High priority is accorded to making
resources available for speedy execution of critical capacity augmentation
as these on completion inter-alia facilitate improved efficiency and
reliability in train operations.
12109/12110 CSMT-Manmad Panchavati Express and 17611/17612 CSMT-
H.S. Nanded Rajya Rani Express have maintained an overall punctuality of
more than 80% during the last three months. 12109/12110 CSMT-Manmad
Panchavati Express is having a load of 22 coaches which includes 9
General Class coaches and 2 MST Coaches for facilitating commuters while
17611/17612 CSMT-H.S. Nanded Rajya Rani Express has a load of 17
coaches which includes 04 General Class Coaches. Besides, augmention of
train services is an on-going process on Indian Railways subject to traffic
justification, operational feasibility and availability of resources.
Speeding up of train services is an on-going process on Indian Railways (IR)
and is dependent on various factors like Maximum Permissible speed(MPS)
of the sections, the gradient of the sections enroute, speed potential of
rolling stock/Loco, availability of path, maintenance corridor blocks,
permanent and temporary speed restrictions, signalling system, etc. To
optimally utilise the resources, train services on IR are charted at
Maximum Permissible Speed keeping in view the speed potential of Rolling
Stock.
Cleanliness is a continuous process and Indian Railways make every
endeavour to keep trains in properly maintained and clean condition.
Railways have taken several measures as follows, to ensure thorough
cleanliness/water availability in coaches:-(a) On-Board Housekeeping Staff Service is being provided during the
train journey to ensure cleanliness and attend any passenger complaint
received. This ensures speedier resolution of the complaints.
(b) Mechanized Coach Cleaning is being ensured during primary
maintenance for better cleaning of the coach including interior, exterior and
toilets.
(c) Regular inspections are done during maintenance at Depots/Sheds etc.
as per prescribed schedule/ periodicity for ensuring the proper upkeep of
various systems including watering in coaches. Further, to ensure
availability of adequate water in coaches throughout the journey, watering
is done at en-route stations at defined intervals.
(d) All passenger coaches have been installed with bio-toilets so that no
human waste is discharged from coaches on the track resulting in improved
cleanliness level.
(e) Rail Madad portal has been developed for passengers' use to seek help
online and raise complaints, if required and provide feedback on their
satisfaction with the resolution. Passengers' feedback for both the trains
are being regularly monitored.
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