Despite Covid, freight loading for Aug so far better than last year: Rlys

Railways said that on August 19, the freight loading was 3.11 million tonnes and the earning was Rs 306.1 crore, while on August 19, 2019, the freight loading was 2.97 MT and earning of Rs 300.82 cr

Notwithstanding Covid-19-related challenges, the Railways' freight loading for the first 19 days of this month has surpassed the figures for the corresponding period last year, the national transporter said Thursday.

This month, the Railways' total freight loading till August 19 was 57.47 million tonnes (earnings Rs 5,461), while it was 53.65 million tonnes (earning Rs 5,435.31 crore) during the corresponding period last year, it said.

In a statement, the Railways said that just on August 19 this year, the freight loading was 3.11 million tonnes and the earning was Rs 306.1 crore, while on August 19, 2019, the freight loading was 2.97 MT and earning of Rs 300.82 crore.

Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav. during an interaction with reporters on Thursday, said the Railways has taken a number of steps to increase freight revenue.

He said that business development units have been set up at all three levels -- Division, Zones, Railways Board -- and the average speed of freight trains have been doubled from 23 kmph to 46 kmph.

The Railways has also started time-tabled parcel trains from March 30 and operated 20 pairs of such trains so far. It has also opened up export traffic to Bangladesh for Parcels and Containers.