The Hindu Business Line : Rlys freight traffic grows 11.73% in Aug

New Delhi, Sept. 13 August has been a good month for Indian Railways as it registered a 11.73 per cent growth and over the 55.34 million tonne (MT) traffic moved in August 2006.

In August 2006, Railways had registered about seven per cent growth in loadings over August 2005. “This month has been exceptionally good for us driven by an increase in loadings of iron ore, coal and cement. We hope to be able to maintain this performance for the rest of the fiscal,” a top Railway Board official told Business Line.

During August 2007, the revenue earning freight traffic carried by Indian Railways was 61.83 MT, an increase of 11.73 per cent over the freight traffic of 55.34 MT carried during the same period last year, said an official release.

Cumulative growth rate

However, on a cumulative basis (for April-August ‘07) Railways registered a growth rate of 6.95 per cent against traffic carried during the corresponding period last year since it had witnessed relatively lower growth rates in the first few months of the fiscal. It moved 308.88 MT of revenue earning freight traffic during April-August ‘07. During April-August ‘06, Railways had registered an over nine per cent growth over the freight volumes of April-August ‘05.