Indian Railways has set a new milestone by achieving a freight loading of 1434.03 million tonnes (MT) until February 2024, showcasing an impressive increase of 66.51 MT compared to the corresponding period last year. This remarkable achievement underscores the railways’ commitment to efficiency and growth in freight operations.
During the period from April 2023 to January 2024, Railways garnered a revenue of Rs 1,55,557.1 crore from freight loading, marking a substantial increase of Rs 6,468.17 crore compared to the same period in the previous year. This surge in earnings reflects the railways’ relentless efforts to optimize its freight services and boost revenue streams.
In February 2024 alone, Indian Railways achieved an originating freight loading of 136.60 MT, demonstrating an impressive growth of 10.13% over the corresponding period last year. This translated into a freight revenue of Rs. 14,931.89 crore for the month, showcasing an improvement of approximately 8.98% compared to February 2023.
The breakdown of freight loading in February 2024 includes 59.08 MT in Coal, 15.11 MT in Iron Ore, 5.69 MT in Pig Iron and Finished Steel, 7.59 MT in Cement (Excl. Clinker), 5.45 MT in Clinker, 5.10 MT in Food grains, 3.962 MT in Fertilizers, 4.06 MT in Mineral Oil, 7.00 MT in Containers, and 10.66 MT in Balance Other Goods.
Indian Railways attributes this success to its “Hungry For Cargo” mantra, emphasizing sustained efforts to enhance the ease of doing business and improve service delivery at competitive prices. The customer-centric approach, coupled with the diligent work of Business Development Units and agile policy-making, has played a pivotal role in achieving this significant milestone.