BHUBANESWAR: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has retained its position as top freight handling zone of Indian Railways in 2025-26 fiscal, registering a whopping freight load of over 286 million tonne.
The ECoR has also generated a gross revenue of over Rs 32,766 crore, achieving first position in apportioned gross revenue generation among all the zones with a collection of Rs 25,911.85 crore in last fiscal. The gross revenue regeneration was about 10.36 per cent more compared to Rs 26,691.82 crore registered in 2024-25 fiscal.
Addressing mediapersons here ECoR general manager Parmeshwar Funkwal on Friday said the zone handled 544.82 million tonne of freight for both loading and unloading. It posted a record freight loading of 286.26 million tonne, about 27 million tonne more over 259.25 million tonne in 2024-25, and also achieved a significant freight unloading of 258.56 million tonne against previous year’s 236.68 million tonne.
“East Coast Railway achieved first position among the zones in the apportioned gross revenue by generating Rs 25,911.85 crore in the financial year 2025-26. It also secured top position in the apportioned goods revenue at Rs 22,786.13 crore in 2025-26,” Funkwal said.
The zone has contributed about 17.1 per cent of the total 1,669.9 MT freight loading achieved by Indian Railways during the year, he added.
During 2025-26, the zone also carried 97.64 million passengers, generating revenue of Rs 2,536.44 crore, compared to 93.52 million passengers and Rs 2,371.09 crore in 2024-25. A total 1,598 special trains were operated during the year, while LHB coach augmentation was carried out in 18 trains, 21 coaches and 16 rakes.
ECoR stood second in the operating ratio with 55.04 per cent. It added 108.28 km new lines and multi-tracking works along with 536.545 km of safety fencing. A total 25 level crossings were eliminated, while 22 ROBs and 77 LHSs were constructed. At least 73 platforms were upgraded with improved surface concreting, while 44 stations were made fully Divyang-compliant. Solar-based CCTVs were also deployed in 166 deployed. Around 2,500 solar powered CCTV cameras will be installed across the zone by June 2026, Funkwal said.
He said the expenditure of the allocated budget for 2025-26 was 100 per cent for the ECoR portion. It also stood at 98.76 per cent for Odisha portion.
The redevelopment work of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri railway stations are also going on in full swing, the ECoR GM said.