Railway freight revenue up 18.91 in H1 2008

Indian Railways earned Rs25,502.95 crore as freight  revenue during April-September 2008, up from Rs21,447.48 crore in the first half of last year, a growth ogf 18.91 per cent.

According to the railway ministry, Indian Railways carried 401.89 million tonnes of freight traffic during April-August 2008, compared to 370.25 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 8.55 per cent.

The net tonne kilo metres went up from 237,564 million during April-September 2007 to 260,367 million during April-September 2008, showing an increase of 9.60 per cent.

Of the total earnings during the month of September 2008, Rs1,454.90 crore came from transportation of 28.59 million tonnes of coal, followed by Rs656.09 crore from 10.17 million tonnes of iron ore for exports, steel plants and for other domestic user, Rs328.67 crore from 6.55 million tonnes of cement, Rs258.35 crore from 4.07 million tonnes of fertilisers, Rs273.87 crore from 2.81 million tonnes of foodgrains, Rs245.51 crore from 3.11 million tonnes of petroleum oil and lubricant (POL), Rs223.85 crore from 2.21 million tonnes of pig iron and finished steel from steel plants and other points, Rs 63.85 crore from 0.94 million tonnes of raw material for steel plants except iron ore, Rs208.85 crore from 2.49 million tonnes by container service and Rs289.34 crore from 4.95 million tonnes of other goods.