Kolkata, Aug 6: Eastern Railway (ER) recorded a healthy increase in freight loading and earnings during the first four months of the 2026-27 financial year, driven primarily by higher movement of imported coal to thermal power plants.
Pic Credit: Pexel
The railway zone handled 33.391 million tonnes of freight between April 1 and July 31, 2026, registering a 2.43 per cent increase from 32.599 million tonnes transported during the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
Coal remained the largest contributor to freight traffic, with Eastern Railway transporting 23.14 million tonnes during the four-month period, up 7.29 per cent from 21.567 million tonnes a year earlier. A substantial share of the imported coal was transported to thermal power stations operated by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), reflecting sustained demand from the power sector.
The higher coal traffic translated into stronger freight earnings. Revenue from coal transportation rose 13.22 per cent year-on-year to Rs 2,263.20 crore, compared with Rs 1,998.95 crore during the same period in 2025-26.
Overall freight revenue also recorded steady growth. Eastern Railway earned Rs 3,192.97 crore from freight operations across all commodities during the April-July period, marking a 4.89 per cent increase over Rs 3,044.11 crore reported in the corresponding period last year.
The growth in freight performance reflects sustained efforts to enhance cargo loading, improve operational efficiency and strengthen logistics infrastructure across the railway network. Increased movement of bulk commodities, particularly coal, has reinforced Eastern Railway’s role in supporting the country’s energy supply chain while meeting the transportation needs of key industries.
Despite being one of Indian Railways’ major passenger-carrying zones, Eastern Railway has continued to expand its freight operations, registering consistent year-on-year growth in both cargo volumes and revenue. The improved performance highlights the zone’s growing contribution to industrial logistics and regional economic activity.