The Hindu Business Line : Rlys freight earnings up 16 pc during Apr-Aug

The Railways has registered almost 16 per cent growth in earnings from freight traffic for the five-month period ending August 31, touching Rs 16,334.34 crore compared to Rs 14,125.13 crore during the corresponding period last year, according to an official release.

Railways carried 288.81 million tonnes of freight traffic during the period as compared to 262.91 mt carried during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 9.85 per cent.

The Net Tonne Kilometres (NTKM) went up from 1,73,529 million during April-August 2005 to 1,89,514 million during April-August 2006, an increase of 9.21 per cent, the release added. NTKM signifies total tonnage and total distance of goods transported by Railways.

REVENUES IN AUGUST

For the month of August 2006, the earnings from freight traffic was Rs 3,112.22 crore as against Rs 2,786.25 crore during August 2005 last year showing an increase of 11.7 per cent. The Railways carried 55.34 mt of freight traffic during the month as compared to 51.56 mt of freight traffic during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 7.33 per cent. The NTKM went up from 34,067 million during the August 2005 to 35,429 million during August 2006, an increase of four per cent.

From the earnings during August 2006, Rs 1,102.87 crore came from transportation of 23.54 mt of coal, followed by Rs 271.31 crore from 3.24 mt of food grains, Rs 264.79 crore from 5.36 mt of cement, Rs 260.65 crore from 2.93 mt of petroleum oil and lubricant (POL), Rs 234.81 crore from 3.43 mt iron ore for exports, Rs 166.16 crore from 1.64 mt of iron and steel for steel plants, Rs 156.15 crore from 2.56 mt of fertilisers, Rs 147.39 crore from 4.21 mt of raw material for steel plants and Rs 508.09 crore from 8.43 mt of other goods.