Railways freight transport up 8.25% as it carries more coal

Indian Railways transported 122.14 million tonnes of freight in July, marking an 8.25 per cent increase against the same period last year, as railways increased the ferrying of coal to power plants. Freight volumes fell by over 3 mt compared to June, who experts said is normal, with a slight taper in economic activity from the peak summer months. The year-on-year growth of 9.3 mt was largely due to a near 25% increase in coal supply, which was the railways’ top priority during the fuel crisis in the country. Iron ore, which is the second biggest commodity in the freight basket, has failed to grow for the fourth consecutive month this fiscal. “Indian Railways has achieved an incremental loading of 11.54 mt in coal, followed by 1.22 mt in balance other goods, 0.56 mt each in cement and clinker and containers, and 0.47 mt in POL (petroleum products),” said a statement from the Railways Ministry. The ministry said that loading of coal (both domestic and imported) to power plants increased by 13.2 mt in July, with 47.98 coal being moved to powerhouses as against 34.74 mt last year, marking a growth of 38 per cent.See also: TERI, REMC join hands to make Indian Railways greener Railways extends validity of diesel supply rate contracts