Bhubaneswar: Despite damages to Railway properties in cyclone FANI and affect in loading operations, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has set a new record during 2019-20 financial year by loading 200.85 million tonne (MT) of freight from its jurisdiction which is 4.73 per cent more than the previous financial year.
In 2018-19 financial year, ECoR Railway had loaded 191.76 million tonne of freight. Surpassing the 200 MT loading target has been 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.
ECoR had made a quickest possible restoration of train services in the aftermath of the cyclone and the loss due to the cyclone had been pegged at more than Rupees 600 crore. From the earning side, ECoR has earned rupees 20125 Crores from freight carrying in 2019-20 financial year as against rupees 18180 crores carried in last financial year with an increase of 11 per cent more.
South Eastern Railway (SER) has carried 171.11 MT, South East Central Railway (SECR) 169 MT and East Central Railway (ECR) carried 148 MT of freight during 2019-20 financial year. In the earning point SER earned rupees 14459.5 crores, ECR 15117.8 crores and SECR earned 19835 crores respectively.
This achievement has also been made despite major affect in cyclone FANI and other obstructios like naxalite activities in major freight loading hubs, landslides and boulder falling on Railway track disrupting train movements, labour strike at different loading hubs.
ECoR has given full credit for this achievement to its hardworking and dedicated staff in all its three divisions. It has given special mention to the efforts and cooperation from all stakeholders including collieries, ports, steel plants, cement, alumina plants, petroleum companies, and Food Corporation of India.
It has expressed its gratefulness to State Governments of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhatisgarh for their constant cooperation. It is committed to the development of the Eastern Coastal region as mandated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. For this, ECoR have been privileged to have had the leadership of the Railway Minister and the guidance of the Railway Board.
