Indian Railways Sees Freight Revenue Surge of Rs 54,805 Crore Over Four Years; Passenger Revenue Grows by Rs 20,024 Crore
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Synopsis
Indian Railways has seen a substantial increase in freight and passenger revenues from 2019-20 to 2023-24. Freight revenue surged by Rs 54,805 crore, while passenger revenue grew by Rs 20,024 crore, reflecting the railway's expanding operational capabilities and infrastructure investments.
Key Takeaways
- Freight revenue increase: Rs 54,805 crore over four years.
- Passenger revenue growth: Rs 20,024 crore in the same period.
- 79,000 coaches in operation as of April 2024.
- Approximately 4.90 lakh hectares of land held by Indian Railways.
- 271 onion rakes loaded in 2023-24.
New Delhi, March 29 (NationPress) The freight earnings of Indian Railways have experienced a significant increase of Rs 54,805 crore over a span of four years, escalating from Rs 1.13 lakh crore in 2019-20 to Rs 1.68 lakh crore in 2023-24, as reported by the government on Saturday.
Conversely, the revenue generated from passengers has also risen by Rs 20,024 crore during the same period, climbing from Rs 50,669 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 70,693 crore in 2023-24, stated Union Minister of Railways and Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw.
According to the minister, the revenue accrued from flexi fare, tatkal, and premium tatkal between 2019-20 and 2023-24 constitutes about 5.7 percent of the overall revenue from passenger services. The revenue from ticket cancellations is not tracked separately.
As of April 1, 2024, approximately 79,000 coaches are in operation for train services.
Additionally, the total land held by Indian Railways is around 4.90 lakh hectares, of which 8,812 hectares have been leased for various purposes, as per the minister.
This includes land leased for passenger amenities, cargo facilities, and commercial ventures.
The land under the management of Indian Railways is utilized for constructing essential infrastructure like tracks, stations, terminals, workshops, and production units.
Any surplus land not needed for immediate operational use is assigned to the Rail Land Development Authority for commercial leasing.
The ownership of any commercially developed railway land remains with the Railways, as the minister clarified.
Furthermore, for the bulk transport of onions, covered wagons are already in use across Indian Railways. A total of 271 onion rakes were loaded during 2023-24.
Indian Railways is also facilitating rail-based refrigerated container services through Container Corporation (CONCOR) for transporting goods that require controlled temperatures, including fruits and vegetables.
During 2023-24, 27,771 refrigerated containers were transported via rail by CONCOR.
The temperature-controlled storage facilities established by CONCOR at Nashik, New Azadpur, Dadri, and Sonipat represent an investment of about Rs 129 crore, according to the minister.
