East Coast Railway earnings up 17% in 2013-14

ECoR has earned Rs 12,338 crore during 2013-14

With a focus on passenger service and completion of major projects, earnings of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) climbed up to Rs 12,338 crore in 2013-14, registering a jump of 17.37% over the previous year.

"Our Railway earned Rs 12,338 crore during 2013-14 as against Rs 10,512 crore in 2012-13 and thus recorded a growth of 17.37% over the previous year," ECoR General Manager Rajiv Vishnoi said.

Optimistic about ECoR becoming the highest loading Railway of the Indian Railways during this fiscal, Vishnoi said it achieved during 2013-14 a record revenue loading of 149.50 MT against 133.41 MT loaded during 2012-13 -- an improvement of 12% over the preceding year.

In case of passenger earnings, there was a growth 16.02% in 2013-14 over the previous year, he said.

Traditionally known as a freight loading Railway, ECoR is giving special attention to passenger service, Vishnoi said on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations.

To provide clean and hygienic environment, both in trains and at stations, Specialised Cleaning Agencies in important long-distance Trains and Stations have been put in place and Departmental Mechanised Laundry System is also being developed for improving the Washing Standard of the linen provided in trains, he said.

To avoid accidents at level crossings this year, 36 LC gates have been replaced with Limited Height Subways, 4 LC gates have been interlocked, 2 LC gates have been manned and 24 LC gates have been closed, added Vishnoi.

Stating that there was significant progress in the implementation of different Projects, he said major works like new line between Bhawanipatna-Junagarh (24.4 kms) and doubling between Rengali-Lapanga (10.40 km) were completed during the current year.

Khurda-Begunia (32 km) section of Khurda-Bolangir new line work is almost complete and is to be commissioned shortly. Also, during the year, 2 major bridges and 59 minor bridges have been constructed, Vishnoi said.