The Hindu Business Line : 11 Rly zones surpass H1 freight targets

ELEVEN out of 16 Railway zones have surpassed their freight traffic target set for the first half of current fiscal helping the Indian Railways clock a total freight volume of around 285 million tonnes (m.t.), which is 3.85 m.t. higher than the budgeted target.

It is also 18.46 m.t. higher as compared to the freight traffic during the same period last year.

The best performers in terms of surpassing targets include South East Central, Eastern and East Coast Railways, which by transporting 44.02 m.t., 20.16 m.t. and 32.68 m.t. of freight respectively, exceeded their target by 2.36 m.t, 1.24 m.t. and 1.2 m.t..

Interestingly, in terms of total volumes transported, the top three zones are South East Central, South Eastern and East Coast Railways, with the South Eastern Railways clocking 34.44 m.t., which missed its target by 0.82 m.t.

"Going by the half-yearly performance of 284.89 m.t., we are confident of exceeding our annual target for freight traffic of 580 m.t. this year, both in terms of volumes and value," the Indian Railways Member (Traffic) Mr Rajendra Nath Aga, told Business Line.

As for the freight traffic for September, the Railways transported 47.78 m.t., which is 2.14 m.t. higher than the target set for the month, he informed.

Other zones that have performed well by crossing their budgeted target for the period include Central, East Central, Northern, North Frontier, South Central, South Western, Western and West Central Railways.

The zones that have not been able to meet their half-yearly targets include North Central, North Eastern, North Western and Southern Zones.

A closer look at the freight volume numbers for the period reveals that Central Railways has clocked 20.23 m.t., exceeding its target by 0.28 m.t.; East Central has transported 28.58 m.t. (0.03 m.t.); Northern Railways achieved 20.30 m.t. (0.25 m.t.), North Frontier has carried 4.46 m.t. (0.56 m.t.); South Central clocked 23.10 m.t. (0.36 m.t.), South Western transported 14.78 m.t. (0.98 m.t.), Western touched 13.41 m.t. (0.17 m.t.) and West Central Railways transported 9.88 m.t. of traffic during the period, up 0.01 m.t. than its target.

Now a look at the zones that missed their budgeted targets. While North Central at 2.38 m.t. was lower than its target by 0.31 m.t., North Eastern at 0.96 m.t. (0.08 m.t.), North Western 4.94 m.t. (0.84 m.t.) and Southern Railways 10.57 m.t. (1.55 m.t.).