Title - Eastern Railway’s H1 freight income up 28% at Rs 2,118 cr

The Eastern Railway (ER) posted nearly 28 per cent growth in earnings from freight loading to reach Rs 2,118 crore between April and September, compared to the same period last year. This growth was largely driven by a substantial increase (about 22 per cent) in coal loading.

According to a spokesperson, ER loaded nearly 20.32 million tonnes of coal during the first six months of this fiscal.

Overall, it loaded about 30 million tonnes of freight. However, he said, loading of goods such as stone, cement and steel declined.

Freight loading was sluggish in September alone due to heavy rains and nationwide strikes.

Meanwhile, ER recorded a more than 10 per cent growth in earnings from passenger traffic to reach Rs 845 crore during this period.

TOTAL EARNINGS

ER posted a more than 21 per cent growth in total earnings between April and September to hit Rs 3,090 crore. In the corresponding period last year, total earnings stood at Rs 2,348 crore.