South Central Railway sets 12.8 cr tonne freight loading target

Secunderabad: South Central Railway (SCR) has recorded the highest ever freight loading of 122.6 million tonnes during the previous financial year 2018-19 and targets to achieve 128 million tonnes during the current financial year.

This was disclosed by Gajanan Mallya, General Manager, SCR, during discussions with important freight customers to discuss the advantages of using the new line between Obulavaripalle and Krishnapatnam. Authorities from Krishnapatnam port, Jindal steel, representatives from various cement, power and fertilisers sector attended the meeting.

The General Manager emphasised on the advantage of using new line for discharging the cargo from the Krishnapatnam port to hinterland industrial areas of cement clusters located around Eraguntla area and Jindal Steel Plant near Bellary. Various customers like Jindal, Ultratech, expressed keen interest in taking maximum benefits from the new line. Jindal Steel informed that they had a plan in doubling the production of steel in next five years for which the new line will be very useful.

General Manager also reviewed the freight performance of Krishnapatnam port in the last year and freight performance of the zone during first quarter of this year. He expressed concern over the slow growth in freight loading in the first quarter and hope that the new line will give the much-needed boost to improve loading in the rest of the year.

K Siva Prasad, Principal Chief Operations Manager, SCR, John Prasad, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, SCR, P Sreenivas, Divisional Railway Manager, Vijayawada division, B Nagya, Chief Freight Traffic Manager, and others were present during the meeting.