Showing an extraordinary resilience against the Covid, Indian Railways has witnessed the Double Digit growth in Freight Traffic. Freight figures continue to maintain the high momentum in terms of earnings and loading in the month of May 2021 for Indian Railways. Railways recorded more than 10% increase in Freight loading as compared to the normal year of 2019-20.
- In FY 2021-22, Indian Railways total loading is 203.88 Million Tonnes (MT), which is 10% more than FY 2019-20 loading figures (184.88 MT) for the same period.
- On mission mode, Indian Railways’ Freight loading for the month of May 2021 is 92.29 MT, which is 10% more than May 2019 (83.84 MT) and 43% more than May 2020 (64.61 MT) for the same period.
- The important items transported during May 2021 includes:-
- 97.06 million tonnes of Coal
- 27.14 million tonnes of Iron Ore
- 7.89 million tonnes of Foodgrains
- 5.34 million tonnes of Fertilizers
- 6.09 million tonnes of Mineral Oil
- 11.11 million tonnes of Cement (excluding clinker)
- 8.2 million tonnes of Clinker
- In the month of May 2021, Indian Railways earned Rs. 9278.95 crores from freight loading.
- Wagon Turnaround time has seen an improvement of 27% in this month.
- In May, 2021, wagon turnaround time is registered at 4.83 days as compared to 6.61 in May 2019.
Measures to attract Freight Traffic:
- It is worth mentioning that a number of concessions/ discounts are also being given in Indian Railways to make Railways Freight movement very attractive.
- It may be noted that the speed of freight trains has been enhanced in the existing network.
- Freight speed Improvement leads to saving of costs for all stakeholders.
- Freight speed has doubled over the last 18 months.
- Few zones (around 6 zones) have registered average speed of freight trains even above 50 Kmph.
- Due to geographical conditions, certain sections offer good speed to freight trains.
- An average speed of 45.42 Kmph is registered in May 2021 for freight trains which is 23% more as compared to 36.84 Kmph for the same period.
- Covid 19 has been used by Indian Railways as an opportunity to improve all round efficiencies and performances.
Operational performance of Zones & Divisions:
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal on 26.05.2021 reviewed the operational performance of Zones & Divisions with top Railway officials. He said,”History will remember Indian Railways for its immense contribution to the fight against Covid. While maintaining national supply chains, it has ensured that wheels of progress keep moving at fast pace”.
- Shri Goyal said that during the last 14 months Railways has demonstrated a high moral strength and ability to rise to the occasion.
- Shri Goyal directed the officials to go aggressively for full utilisation of record Capex allocation.
- Completion of infrastructure works would generate employment as well especially in challenging Covid times.
- The Minister said that Nation is full of gratitude for all of those Railways employees who lost their lives while serving the Nation and offered condolences.
- Shri Goyal observed that Indian Railways is transforming itself from just being a mode of transportation to an all a great engine for growth and that every one is committed to the success of IR and making Railways a self sustainable organization.
Oxygen Expresses:
- Shri Goyal said that Oxygen Expresses have served the Nation in an extra ordinary manner and were game changer in the fight against Covid.
- He said that speed of response and quality of service has been appreciated by all. Front line staff has risen to occasion.
- Shri Goyal said that Railways need to further enhance manpower efficiency in operations and there was a lot of scope of improvement in workshops as far as that is concerned.
Source: PIB-Press Release | Image Credit: MoR
