By IANS
New Delhi : The Indian Railways have created a new record by earning Rs.294.16 billion ($9.5 billion) from freight during the first eight months of the current fiscal (April-Nov), registering a growth of over 10 percent for the same period last year.
Earnings from freight for the corresponding period last year were Rs.265.02 billion.
A statement issued by the railway ministry said: “The Railways carried 501.38 million tonnes of goods during this period, compared to 464.39 million tonnes carried during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 7.97 percent in tonnage.”
“The net tonne kilometres (NTKM) also went up from 304,871 million during the months of April-November 2006 to 321,460 million during April-November 2007, with an increase of 5.44 percent,” said the statement.
The freight traffic earnings in November alone this year marked a record high of Rs. 39.92 billion, compared to Rs. 36.07 billion during the corresponding period last year showing an increase of 10.67 percent.
In terms of tonnage, the railways carried 65.67 million tonnes of freight traffic in November this year as against 61.06 million tonnes goods carried in the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 7.55 percent.
“The NTKM also went up from 39,670 million during November 2006 to 42,093 million during Nov 2007, showing an increase of 6.11 percent,” it said.
The break-up of the total earnings for this month worked out to Rs.15.15 billion from transporting 28.35 million tonnes of coal, followed by Rs.6.29 billion from 11.78 million tonnes of iron ore, Rs.3.31 billion from carrying 6.49 million tonnes of cement and Rs.2.45 billion from transporting 2.89 million tonnes of petroleum oil and lubricant.
Transporting 2.51 million tonnes of food grains fetched the railways Rs.2.44 billion in November this year and transporting 2.16 million tonnes of iron and finished steel fetched it a revenue of Rs.2.41 billion.
Another Rs. 2.31 billion came from carrying 3.40 million tonnes of fertilisers.
Transportation of 0.91 million tonnes of raw material for steel plants, except iron ore, got the railways Rs.693.7 million and Rs.4.84 billion came from carrying 7.18 million tonnes of other goods, said the statement.