Railway freight earnings up by about 8% in Apr-Aug

Railways have earned Rs 36,465.59 crore from freight traffic during April-August this year compared to Rs 33,841.63 crore during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 7.75%.

Railways carried 426.14 million tonnes (MT) of freight during the first five months of current fiscal as compared to 405.42 MT carried during the same period last year, showing a growth of 5.11%.

According to Railway Ministry data, out of the total earnings of Rs 6,775.43 crore from freight in August this year, Rs 2,828.56 crore came from transportation of 39.29 MT of coal, followed by Rs 674.48 crore from 9.80 MT of iron ore for exports, steel plants and for other domestic users and Rs 565.32 crore from 7.91 MT of cement.

The national transporter earned Rs 541.41 crore from 4.33 MT of foodgrains, Rs 396.77 crore from 3.41 MT of petroleum oil and lubricant (POL), Rs 419.62 crore from 3.12 MT of pig iron and finished steel from steel plants and and Rs 458.81 crore from 4.93 MT of fertilisers.

Railways earned Rs 116.31 crore from 1.50 MT of raw material for steel plants except iron ore, Rs 375.61 crore from 3.69 MT by container service and Rs 398.54 crore from 5.16 MT of other goods.