Title - Over 17% growth in earnings for S Railways

Chennai: Southern Railway today announced a jump in its various transactions, including registering a growth of over 17 per cent in its earnings.

"In the earnings front, the Railway earned Rs 5608.25 crore in 2011-12 as against Rs 4790.27 crore in the previous year, registering a growth of 17.07 per cent," it said.

Further, its share of transporting "originating load," increased from 35.107 million tonnes in 2010-11 to 39.398 million tonnes the next year, a Southern Railway release here said adding this was a 12 percent growth.

Southern Railway completed laying 262 km of new lines, gauge conversion and doubling in 2011-12 as compared to 208 km in 2010-11, recording a 26 per cent growth, it said.

Various safety and security initiatives were taken up and crime rate dipped by 7.3 per cent in 2011-12, it said.

The Southern Railway Independence Day celebrations were held here with Additional General Manager Dr G Narayanan unfurling the tricolour.