Massive Surge in Railway Earnings; 135 Million Tonnes of Freight Transported in September
Indian Railways recorded massive earnings in September, driven by a 6.14% increase in freight transport volume, which led to a significant boost in revenue.
Freight transport was the primary driver behind this substantial revenue growth. Indian Railways transported 135.5 million tonnes (13.55 crore tonnes) of goods in September—an increase of 6.14% compared to September of the previous year. Coal transportation contributed the most to this revenue surge.
Discussions regarding coal shortages at power plants have intensified recently. According to the Railways, coal transportation in September rose by 9% compared to the same period last year.
Surge in Coal Transportation
The Ministry of Railways shared this information on Tuesday. Releasing the data, the Ministry stated that, on average, 443 freight train rakes were dispatched daily in September to transport domestic coal to power plants. In contrast, the figure stood at 397 rakes per day in September of the previous year, marking an 11.6% increase in the number of freight trains transporting coal to power plants.
Increased Transportation of Other Goods
It was not just coal; other commodities also contributed to the Railways’ earnings. Below is a list of the goods transported by the Railways and the growth recorded in their transportation volumes this year.
| Item |
Increase (in Percentage) |
|---|---|
| Food Items |
25% |
| Clinker (Used in Cement Manufacturing) |
20% |
| Domestic Containers |
10% |
| Coal |
9% |
| Other Goods |
8.2% |
| Mineral Oil |
6% |
| Finished Steel |
5.5% |
| Iron Ore |
5.2% |
Rise in Railway Earnings
The increase in freight transportation has led to a corresponding rise in the Railways’ earnings. In September 2026, the Railways earned ₹1,266 crore more from freight transport compared to September of the previous year, marking a 9.3% increase in freight revenue.
Meanwhile, Indian Railways aims to increase its annual freight transport to 3 billion tonnes by 2031. The Railways expects to transport approximately 1.75 billion tonnes of cargo by the end of the current financial year, 2026-27.
