The South Central Railways registered a 40 per cent increase in originating freight earnings during the first quarter of the current fiscal.
The originating freight earnings during the period touched Rs 1,855.88 crore, as against Rs 1,325.61 crore.
The zone registered 11 per cent growth in cargo throughput during the quarter. It handled 27.40 million tonnes during the period, as against 24.74 million tonnes in the year-ago period. As part of the yearly target of 111.50 million tonnes set by the Ministry, the zone was to handle 26.7 million tonnes during the quarter.
Coal accounted for the largest chunk of freight loading for the zone with a jump in movement of the material from Singareni Collieries, Western Coalfields and imported coal from Krishnapatnam and Kakinada ports. The loading has been 15.13 million tonnes during the quarter, as against 12.78 mt in the corresponding quarter of last fiscal.
Cement throughput has also increased from cement plants in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra — the loading has been 7.25 mt. The loading at Krishnapatnam port was 2.45 mt, while that at Kakinada port was 1.22 mt.