The Hindu Business Line : East Coast Rly steps up daily loading to more than 10,000 wagons

The ECoR's daily average loading of wagons should be 10,300 throughout the year if the traffic target of 93 million tonnes set for the current fiscal is to be achieved.

Kolkata April 26 The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has stepped up the average daily loading of wagons (in terms of four-wheelers) to more than 10,000 so far in the current year from the last year's around 9,000.

"This has been possible mainly due to improved loading at Talcher mines under Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd and at the Paradip port", according to a spokesman for ECoR.

Talcher mines

"The daily average loading at Talcher now stands at 24 rakes a day as compared to 21.4 rakes a day previously, each rake comprising 145 wagons, and at Paradip port at eight rakes a day, up from five rakes previously while the loading in the Sambalpur division has jumped by 150 wagons a day and on the Kirandul-Kottavalasa section by more than two rakes."

Vizag port

"Only loading in Visakhapatnam port is causing some concern to us", the spokesman observed but making it clear the port authorities had nothing to do with it. The cargo was just not available, he said.

The daily average loading in the iron ore rich Keonjhargarh region too, as it was pointed out, had been less than the normal with the result the traffic throughput on the newly-opened Daitari-Banspani section had been lower than projected.

"This is because of the order issued by the Orissa Government restricting the working hours in the area and no work in the sun is being allowed between 11 a.m and 4 p.m every day due to the excessive heat", the spokesman said pointing out that the situation should improve with heat receding a little after a shower or two.

The ECoR's daily average loading of wagons should be 10,300 throughout the year if the traffic target of 93 million tonnes set for the current fiscal is to be achieved. Since the loading will drop substantially in the monsoon months, the railway would now like to load at least 10,500 wagons, if not more, and continue it till May end. However, that is not happening.