BHUBANESWAR: East Coast Railway (ECoR) has set a record in this fiscal by loading 200.85 million tonne (MT) of freight from its jurisdiction which is 4.73 per cent (pc) more than the freight movement of previous financial year.
In 2018-19, 191.76 MT of freight was loaded. Sources said the railway zone has generated revenue of Rs20,125 crore from freight in 2019-20, nearly 11 pc up from 2018-19 fiscal when Rs18,180 crore was earned.
South Eastern Railway (SER) has carried 171.11 MT, South East Central Railway (SECR) 169 MT and East Central Railway (ECR) loaded 148 MT of freight during 2019-20 and generated Rs14,460 crore, Rs16,705 crore and Rs19,835 crore respectively.
The ECoR achieved the milestone despite damages to railway properties during cyclone Fani and adverse effect on loading and train operations. The railway zone had made the quickest possible restoration of train services in the aftermath of the cyclone and the loss due to the cyclone was pegged at more than Rs600 crore.
An ECoR spokesperson said surpassing the 200 MT loading target was achieved due to focus on freight traffic movements, innovative steps and key interventions by Railway Ministry which helped to get it on to the fast-track.
"Credit goes to all employees for the feat that was achieved despite the effects of the cyclone and other obstructions like Naxal activities in major freight loading hubs, landslides and boulder falling on railway track disrupting train movements besides labour strike at different loading hubs,' he said.