Indian Railways' freight loading increased 20.37 per cent to 112.65 million tonnes in June 2021, compared to 93.59 million tonnes recorded in the corresponding month last year, data from the railway ministry showed on Friday, July 2. Last month, the national transporter registered the highest ever freight loading in 10 months - from September 2020-June 2021. Amid challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector registered a high momentum of loading and earnings during the month. (Also Read: Indian Railways Freight Loading Up 10% To 203.88 Million Tonnes In 2020-21: Here's How )
During June 2021, the important commodities which were transported through the freight network included 4.71 million tonnes of fertilizers, 50.03 million tonnes of coal, 5.53 million tonnes of pig iron & finished steel,14.53 million tonnes of iron ore, 5.53 million tonnes of food grains, 6.59 million tonnes of cement (excluding clinker), 3.66 million tonnes of mineral oil, and 4.28 million tonnes of clinker.
The railway authorities earned Rs. 1,11,86.81 crore from freight loading in June, which is 26.7 per cent higher, compared to the same month last year, when it earned Rs 8,829.68 crore. Over the last 19 months, railway infrastructure projects such as the opening of few sections of the dedicated freight corridor and the induction of indigenous locomotives have resulted in doubling the speed of freight trains on the network.
Improvement in freight speed leads to saving of costs in freight operations for all stakeholders, along with the railway authorities as well as consumers. In the financial year 2020-2021, Indian Railways registered double-digit growth in freight traffic amid the pandemic and recorded a 10 per cent increase in freight loading, compared to the previous fiscal 2019-20.
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