The Hindu Business Line : NMP, HMRDC see big growth in rail cargo

More than 100 per cent growth in railway-bound freight traffic of New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) and Hassan Mangalore Rail Development Company (HMRDC) Ltd has once again shown the importance of a railway line between the port and the hinterland.

During 2007-08, New Mangalore Port showed a growth of around 105 per cent in handling of rail cargo traffic and HMRDC witnessed a growth of 187.5 per cent in its freight movement.

Ms Sarala Balagopal, Director and Chief Executive Officer of HMRDC, told Business Line that the company handled around 4.6 million tonnes of freight traffic during 2007-08, against 1.6 million tonnes the previous fiscal. Of the 4.6 million tonnes, nearly 90-95 per cent of the traffic was contributed by NMPT’s railway-bound cargo. Rail cargo, which stood at 1.52 million tonnes during 2005-06, increased to 3.01 million tonnes during 2006-07. It is to be noted here that the major link between New Mangalore Port and the hinterland — the Hassan-Mangalore railway line — was commissioned for freight traffic on May 5, 2006. Helped by this link and assisted by several new facilities at the port side, New Mangalore handled around 6.18 million tonnes of railway-bound cargo in 2007-08, witnessing a growth of 105 per cent.

share from export cargo

The export cargo, such as iron ore, contributed a major share to the growth in railway-bound cargo during 2007-08, followed by import cargoes such as fertiliser and limestone. In fact, the port witnessed growth of 163 per cent in handling limestone cargo during the year.

Before the commissioning of the line for freight movement, exporters of iron ore cargo were wholly dependent on road infrastructure. The railway line brought down the burden on roads, and 45 per cent of the iron ore cargo was transported by trains during 2007-08.

The growth in rail cargo traffic at the port can be attributed to creation of facilities such as a railway line inside the security compound wall of the port. Built at a cost of Rs 4 crore, the port handled the first rake of iron ore fines that came in via the railway line inside the wharf on January 11, 2008.

This facility is in addition to the five lines at the railway marshalling yard, which is outside the wharf area.

Considering the demand for railway-bound traffic, the sixth railway line is being developed at the marshalling yard and is nearing completion.

More lines

Port users, however, think there is a need to add two more lines at the marshalling yard to further boost growth.

Mr Shekhara Pujari, Honorary Secretary of Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and President of New Mangalore Port Stevedores’ Association, feels the present lines at the yard are not enough to take the traffic. Two more lines are needed at the marshalling yard to handle cargoes such as fertiliser and food grains, he says.

The HMRDC’s growth in freight traffic can be attributed to better running of rakes and less obstruction along the 55-km ghat section of Hassan-Mangalore line during monsoon. The movement of rakes was stopped for almost 45 days during 2006-07 because of landslips along the line. The number came down to nearly 16 days in 2007-08.

But an important reason for the growth is the railway line connection between New Mangalore and the hinterland.

The metre gauge railway line on Hassan-Mangalore route, which was opened for traffic in 1979, was taken up for gauge conversion in 1996. Almost 10 years after the closure, the railway line was commissioned for freight traffic only in May 2006.

REVENUE

According to the Chairman of NMPT, Mr P. Tamilvanan, NMPT earned Rs 4.90 crore from railway traffic during 2007-08. He termed it as the highest revenue earned by the port from railway traffic so far. During 2006-07, the port earned Rs 1.76 crore of revenue from railway-bound traffic.