Railway freight earnings witness an 11% jump in October, as compared to 2019

Coal and cement segment register for more than 50% of freight movement for Indian railways.

The demand and an uptick in economic activity are gradually recovering as earnings from goods transportation via Indian railways are continuously rising.

As of October 13, The freight loading grew 18% at 43.46 mt (metric tonnes) and the earnings have jumped 11% i.e. ₹4,124 crores. As per official data, the figures include an increase in the loading of coal, fertilizers, steel, cement and food grains, among others.

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According to the railway ministry, the average loading of 53,774 wagons per day was up 16.5% on the year, as of October.

The recovery of loading commodities accelerated from August, post the sharp decline during the first quarter of the current fiscal due to the disruption caused by the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier in October, the government said, “unlocking of the economy and the implementation of Aatmanirbhar Bharat package has ensured that recovery in India has gained momentum even as the sustained spread of the virus poses a downside risk to the short- and medium-term growth rates.”

Coal and cement segment register for more than 50% of freight movement for Indian railways.

The national transporter carried 19.13 mt coal in 2020 ( as of October), compared to 17.20 mt in 2019. As much as 4.36 mt of cement was transported till October 2020, compared to 3.28 mt in 2019.