December 2011 saw the rail freight loading registering its highest growth for the current fiscal at 86.75 million tonnes. The jump was 8.6 per cent year-on-year.

This could be an indicator of rebound in the industrial production, particularly when seen in the context of rail freight loading of previous four months.

Coal (to power plants), cement, fertiliser, steel, and iron ore account for majority of cargo moved by the national transporter. Railways accounts for 36-38 per cent of cargo movement in the country, according to Government estimates.

November volume

In November, the Railways hauled about six per cent higher volume of goods. Moreover, the November performance was better than the previous two months, when there was a dip in the cargo loadings on an annualised basis.

On the road transport front, the truck sales registered a growth of 8.23 per cent.

“This growth, though lower than truck sales in the previous months, is optimistic given the high base effect. In December 2010, there was a 27 per cent growth in truck sales over the previous year,” says Mr S.P. Singh, Senior Fellow, Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT).

Truck rentals

The truck rentals on key trunk routes remained range bound, despite higher capacity addition in the previous three quarters, according to IFTRT.

The April-December truck sales grew by 13.5 per cent on the back of stable cargo offerings from different sectors to trucking business.

The cargo moved by road in the country can be derived from indicators such as truck rentals and commercial vehicle sales.

The exact quantum of total cargo moved by road in country is not captured by any agency, as majority of road transportation business is unorganised.

> mamuni@thehindu.co.in

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