Southern Railway posts 11.6% increase in earnings from passenger traffic

CHENNAI: Southern Railway posted 11.6% growth in earnings from passenger traffic in the first four months of the financial year compared to that in the corresponding period a year ago. It registered a 14% increase in earnings from freight transport in the same period compared to that in the previous year, said Rakesh Misra, general manager, Southern Railway, on Thursday. 

"On the passenger front, during the first four months of the current year, we carried 274 million originating passengers, yielding an originating passenger earnings of Rs 1,150 crore, thus registering 11.6% growth in earnings over the previous year. Similarly on the freight sector, the originating freight loading from April to July this year was 14.81 million tonnes, which is the best ever loading for the first four months of any year in Southern Railway's history. This translates to a huge increase of nearly 14% over last year. At this rate, the board's target would be exceeded by a huge margin by the end of this year," Misra said after hoisting the national flag at the zone's headquarters here. 

Several additional passenger trains were run during the current fiscal year. Fifteen pairs of new trains were introduced, seven pairs of trains were extended and frequency of two trains was increased, he said.