AGRA: An express train managed to 'touch' an incredible 409 kmph, covering a distance of 116 km between Allahabad and Fatehpur in 17 minutes. At least on paper. These and other clearly incorrect data were detected in a recent audit of the

by the

(

).

While auditing data entry of three trains - Prayag Raj Express, Jaipur-Allahabad Express and New Delhi-Allahabad

-CAG found major discrepancies which, according to the report, raised a question on the integrity of data maintained by the railways. Incorrect entries were fed into Integrated Coaching Management System (ICMS), which is responsible for monitoring real-time data of train operations. This data is also reflected in National Train Enquiry System (NTES) and incorrect entries caused a great deal of inconvenience to the passengers by showing wrong timings of arrival of trains at Allahabad station.

CAG in its audit report said, "During 2016-17, the three trains operated on 354, 343 and 144 days respectively, out of which they took less than 53 minutes (on 25, 29 and 31 days respectively) to travel a distance of 116 km between Fatehpur and Allahabad." A train takes at least 53 minutes at a maximum permissible speed of 130 kmph to cover the distance between Fatehpur and Allahabad Junction. But CAG found that, "On July 9, 2016, Allahabad Duronto Express reached Fatehpur at 5:53 am and Allahabad at 6:10 am, which suggested that the train travelled 116 km in 17 minutes, at a speed of 409 kmph."

Similarly, on April 10, 2017, Jaipur Allahabad Express reached Fatehpur at 5:56 am and Allahabad at 5:31 am. On that day, the Punctuality Performance Table showed a 36-minute delay of the train in arrival at Allahabad. A similar case was reported with Prayag Raj Express on March 7 2017, where train reached Allahabad at 6:50 am, but records also mentioned that train left Subedarganj, a station prior to Allahabad at 7:45 am.