The Visakhapatnam railway division of the East Coast Railway has earned Rs. 4,143 crore during 2010-11 financial year, according to the Divisional Railway Manager, Mr N. Kashinath.

He was reviewing the performance of the division at a press meet here on Tuesday. He said the railways had carried 29.35 millions of passengers during the year, earning Rs 264.98 crore, as against 26.19 millions and Rs. 232.15 crore during the previous year (2009-10).

The goods traffic (48.26 million tonnes) fetched the division Rs. 3,837.54 crore (45.19 million tonnes and Rs 3,219.10 crore).

The other earnings amounted to Rs. 22.25 crores (Rs 21.36 crore) and sundry earnings Rs 18.34 crore (Rs 12.61 crore). The total earnings amounted to Rs 4,143 crore (Rs 3,485 crore), registering 18.9 per cent growth.

Falls short of target

However, the DRM said, the division had fallen slightly short of the target fixed by the ministry as only 48.26 million tonnes of goods could be handled as against the target of 53 mt fixed initially and revised later to 49 mt.

“The initial target was unrealistic and later it was brought down. We have fallen short by only a million tonnes or so in spite of many adverse conditions,” Mr Kashinath explained.

He said the main commodity handled by the division was iron ore brought to Visakhapatnam from the Bailadilla mines through the Kottavalasa-Kirandul (KK) line.

“Last year, there were heavy rains for five to six months, often causing landslides on the route, disrupting traffic. Besides, there is increased Maoist activity on the Dantewada-Kirandul section, often causing suspension of traffic for several days at a stretch. In spite of these handicaps, there has been 12 per cent growth in earnings through iron ore,” he explained.

To overcome the hurdles, he said, the railways had taken a number of measures.

He said the Visakhapatnam division accounted for more than half of the total earnings of the East Coast Railway, pegged at more than Rs. 8,000 crore, and thus occupied a very important place in the EC Railway. The railway authorities had taken several steps to improve passenger amenities at the Visakhapatnam railway station and other stations in the division.

“Escalators have been sanctioned for the Visakhapatnam railway stations. They will be installed sometime during the current financial year. Other facilities would also be improved at the station,” Mr Kashinath said.

He said seven unmanned rail crossings in the division had been manned to improve safety.

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