Bhubaneswar: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has created a record in India by surpassing all previous records in freight loading in financial year 2020-21. The zonal railway achieved 205 million tonne of freight loading during the period.
Last year too, the ECoR had created a record of 202.56 MT loading. But this year it moved ahead and broke its own record. “By this, ECoR became the first zone to cross the milestone of 200 million tonne of loading for two times in a row.
It also broke its own record of 200.95 MT of freight loading achieved last financial year 2019-20. The target set by the Board for the financial year for ECoR was actually 203.02 MT, which the zone has clearly surpassed,” a statement from the ECoR said.
The department also said that all the three divisions-Khurda Road Division, Sambalpur Division, Waltair Division and improved their earlier records. The department said that to achieve this loading figure, East Coast Railway utilised 8,447 wagons per day – about 154.8 rakes/trains per day.
The ECoR said that works were done despite the challenges of lockdowns and Covid-19. “This remarkable loading has been achieved despite lockdown and closure and less workforce in industries and in mineral units under East Coast Railway jurisdiction.
To achieve this remarkable performance, ECoR utilised its manpower and rolling stock items in best possible way and with proper planning and coordination with government sectors and industries,” the statement from ECoR said.
With this achievement, ECoR became the most profit making zone in India amid all railway zones. “With an operating ratio of 47.71 per cent, the zone easily becomes the most profitable zone of Indian Railways. Operating ratio is the term used to determine the profitability.
For every rupee earned by the zone, it has to spend 0.47 paisa. Different sectors across the spectrum have shown tremendous increase over last year,” the ECoR said.
PNN