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Pushes its freight services to compensate loss from passenger fares
Mumbai: The Western Railway (WR) earned revenue worth Rs 2482 crores by operating special freight services during the lockdown.
While the WR may have been incurring losses in revenue due to dip in passenger traffic, it made up for it due to huge scaling up of rail freight transport services. During the lockdown period between March 23 – July 19, the WR has incurred a loss of Rs 1797 crores, as compared to the revenue generated during the same period last year.
This included refunds worth Rs 265 crores granted on suburban rail networks and Rs 1532 crore for non-suburban railway network. The Mumbai division (between Churchgate to Surat stations) alone refunded ticketing amount to the tune of Rs 190.64 crore. Despite the losses, the WR said it handed over refunds to 61.27 lakh passengers for cancellation of tickets.
However, the WR worked to cover up its losses in terms of passenger fares with business from operating freight transport services.
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“Soon after the lockdown, we took a special drive to scale up freight operations. Special business development teams were set up at the district and zonal levels. Efforts were made to reach out to customers by offering incentives as also to scale up infrastructural development. Special parcel trains were also initiated. The WR hopes to retain much of these logistic services even after full restoration of passenger trains,” chief public relations officer of WR, Sumit Thakur told thenews21.com.
Between March 22 to July 19, the WR transported 9624 rakes of goods generating revenue of Rs 2482 crore in the period. The rakes carried various essential commodities such as fertilizers, food grains, Cement, Coal, general good, salt and milk. Special trains carrying essential commodities such as medicine, frozen food, milk powder and general consumer goods were also operated by WR. These included 80,000 tonnes of goods were also transported by 409 special trains carrying agricultural produce, fish, milk, medicines etc. About 60 special milk trains were also operated generating revenue of Rs 7.6 crores.
This is a huge rise in goods traffic, since during regular pre-Covid era, passenger fares earned 90.90% of revenue, while transporting goods barely comprised about 1. 38% of overall WR’s revenue.
These services were over and above the 1230 Shramik special trains from May 2- June 25 that carried over 18.50 lakh migrant labourers and their families to various states in India.
Currently, the WR operates just 350 passenger train services daily between Churchgate to Dahanu Road strictly for essential workers.
