Coal drives Railways' freight biz as demand from power plants perks up

Coal movement through rail mode has surpassed 2019 levels. Coal loading stood at 131.4 million tonnes (mt) in the current financial year till June 15, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Railways. This is a little over 1 per cent increase over the same period in 2019.

As power plants rush to hoard coal ahead of peak summer demand, coal production and its movement has also increased. The peak demand season will also coincide with the opening up of industrial and commercial activities across states which were under curfew due to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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