Indian Railways defies Covid challenges! Freight in FY21 poised to surpass FY20 level

Defying Covid challenges, the Railways have carried 1,145.68 MT of freight till March 11 in the financial year 2020-21, marginally higher than the loading achieved in the corresponding period last year, official data released on Friday showed.

The freight performance has been improving on month-to-month basis in recent months. IR’s loading in the first 11 days of March 2021 was at 43.43 MT, which is 10 % higher than in the year ago period.

“There was a 70 MT year-on-year deficit in freight loading in the April-July period of 2020 but with a steady pick up in transportation of goods from August onwards, IR achieved incremental loading of 70 MT in the August-March 11 period, thus wiping out the shortfall,” said Railway Board Chairman & CEO Suneet Sharma. This has been possible despite 50 MT deficit in loading of coal, the main cargo and revenue stream of IR.

Though the freight revenue figures till March 11 are not immediately available, the freight earnings in February this year was Rs 11,097 crore, up 7.7% on year.

Through a number of concessions and discounts to make freight movement attractive, IR has made gains through increased loading in non-traditional items led by automobiles which has seen an 84% year-on-year growth in April-March 11 period. Loading of fly ash has grown by 36%, stone by 57%, onion by 234%, chemical salt by 439%, sand by 274%, sugar by 19% and cotton by 266% during the period.

The average speed of freight trains is 45.49 kmph which is almost double of last year for the same period at 23.29 kmph. Emergence of business development units, constant dialogue with the industry and logistics service providers, faster speed are also adding to the robust growth of freight business for IR.