SCR posts 25% rise in H1 earnings

South Central Railway (SCR) has posted a 25 per cent growth in gross originating earnings at Rs 4,679 crore during the first half of the current financial year from Rs 3,734 crore in the same period last year on the back of rise in fright volumes and rates.

Coal has not only contributed to the rise in fright volumes but also accounted for 55.4 per cent of the total volumes handled by the SCR during the six-month period.

The total freight volume rose by 4.7 million tonnes to 53.1 million tonnes in April-September-2012 from 48.4 million tonnes in the year ago period, according to a release here on Tuesday.

The SCR carried 194 million passengers during the period, a 2.3 per cent increase from 189 million in the corresponding period last year. Coal handling grew 22 per cent or 5.3 million tonnes to 29.4 million tonnes as compared with 24.1 million tonnes in the same period last year.

Cement was up 16.4 per cent in volume terms at 13.56 million tonnes from 11.65 million tonnes in the corresponding previous six-month period.

Foodgrains, fertilisers, containers and petroleum products accounted for the remaining originating freight. However, their volumes saw a decline.