The Hindu Business Line : Rlys freight revenues up 16 pc in April-May

Indian Railways has registered a 16 per cent growth in revenues from freight traffic at Rs 6,687.18 crore during the first two months of the current fiscal against Rs 5,772.78 crore during the corresponding period last year.

In terms of freight volume, Railways carried 9.27 per cent higher load with 117.55 million tonnes (mt) of traffic during the two-month period against 107.58 mt in the same period last fiscal, said an official release.

The earnings from freight traffic during May were Rs 3,359.38 crore against Rs 2,935.65 crore during May 2005. Railways carried 59.46 mt of freight during the month against 55.26 mt in May '05.

Of the total earnings during May 2006, a maximum of Rs 1,296.16 crore accrued to Railways by moving 25.95 mt of coal.

This was followed by Rs 317.56 crore earned by moving 6.25 mt of cement and Rs 286.73 crore from 3.58 mt of foodgrains.

It also earned Rs 258.82 crore by moving 3.02 mt of petroleum oil and lubricant, Rs 160.99 crore from 1.62 mt of iron & steel for steel plants, Rs 160.90 crore from 4.28 mt of raw material for steel plants, Rs 154.17 crore from 2.36 mt of iron ore moved for exports, Rs 140.58 crore from 2.71 mt of fertilisers and Rs 583.47 crore from 9.69 mt of other goods, added the release.