Bhubaneswar, Jan 18 (FN Bureau) East Coast Railway (ECoR) has shattered all previous records by achieving an unprecedented freight loading milestone of 200.13 million tonnes in a remarkably swift 290 days during the fiscal year 2024-25. This achievement marks the highest-ever freight loading by any zone in the history of Indian Railways, reinforcing ECoR’s leadership in freight transportation and operational excellence. ECoR reached this landmark on January 15, 2025, surpassing its own record set in the previous fiscal year (2023-24) when it took 295 days to cross 200 million tonnes. This year’s feat was accomplished 15 days ahead of last year’s pace and comes on the back of a strong performance in previous years, where it took 366 days (2019-20), 360 days (2020-21), 320 days (2021-22), and 310 days (2022-23) to achieve similar milestones.
During this period, East Coast Railway has unloaded a record of 183.5 million tonnes of freight, further highlighting its remarkable performance in freight handling. Over the period, East Coast Railway handled a total of 200.13 million tonnes, up by 1.6 percent from 196.779 million tonnes in the previous fiscal year. The zone’s performance in freight handling remains robust, and it continues to be a crucial enabler of economic growth. The major commodities loaded by ECoR included 119.637 MT of Coal 7.67 MT of Raw materials for Steel Plants, 15.991 MT of Pig Iron & Finished Steel,24.426 MT of Iron Ore,0.88 MT of cement, 2.226 MT of food grains, 5.477 MT of fertilisers, 2.317 MT of mineral oil, 4.372 MT of Freight in containers, and 17.159 MT of other goods.
Along with this remarkable feat, East Coast Railway has also seen an increase in revenue generation, earning Rs. 20,288.041 crore, which represents a 1.28 percent growth compared to the previous fiscal year. The achievement of 200 million tonnes within a span of 290 days is a direct result of East Coast Railway’s meticulous planning, excellent coordination with industries and government entities, and the tireless efforts of its workforce. Several key initiatives have been instrumental in achieving this remarkable success, including the construction and commissioning of new rail lines, along with the doubling and third & fourth line projects, boosting connectivity across the region. With this record achievement, East Coast Railway continues to raise the bar in freight transportation, setting new benchmarks for operational excellence and contributing to the economic growth of the nation.