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A.J. Vinayak

Mangalore, Sept. 22 The export loading of iron ore cargo in South Western Railway (SWR) zone has come down by nearly 50 per cent in a span of nearly four months.

The Hubli-headquartered SWR, which loaded around 22 rakes of export iron ore cargo a day during April-May, is now loading around 11 rakes a day. (One rake is around 3,800 tonnes)

Sources in the Railway told Business Line that the traffic has started declining from the middle of May.

From the peak of 22 rakes a day during April-May, the export loading of iron ore reached 15 rakes a day in June, 12 rakes a day in July-August, and 11 rakes a day in September.

It is to be noted here that Karnataka contributes a major share to the total iron ore production in the country.

Of the country’s annual production of around 145 million tonnes, the Bellary-Hospet and Chitradurga areas contribute around 45 million tonnes a year. Out of the 45 million tonnes, SWR zone loads around 32 million tonnes an annum.

These areas in Karnataka export iron ore through 10 ports in east and west coasts. During the peak loading period, SWR was loading around 13 rakes of iron ore cargo a day to east coast ports of Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Krishnapatnam, Ennore and Chennai, and around nine rakes of iron ore cargo a day to west coast ports such as New Mangalore, Belekeri and Karwar in Karnataka, Mormugao port and to Redi port in Maharashtra.

SWR did a maximum loading of 85 rakes a month (an average of three rakes a day) to New Mangalore Port in March. The figures were 48 rakes a month during August. A good number of traffic is moving through roads to New Mangalore.

At the peak of loading in April-May, SWR was loading around three rakes a day to New Mangalore and six rakes a day to Mormugao. The export loading to Mormugao has now come down to two rakes a day, sources added.

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