Indian Railways is expecting a huge dent in passenger revenues, almost to an extent of up to ₹35,000 crore (from estimated ₹50,000 crore), due to COVID-19 induced reduced passenger trains service across the country. However, it is expecting to realise a significant portion of this amount by pulling in more freight with improved speeds and mobility.
Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav informed a webinar on freight operations on Tuesday that the 230-odd passenger trains are running to just 75% capacity and hence, there is little expectation of any great change soon considering the current pandemic scenario. “We are constantly assessing the difficult situation. We have made use of this period to improve our freight services ensuring dedicated short and long haul trains move in double the normal speeds and on prescribed time-tables. Our newly launched business development offices in each division has roped in newer clients,” he explained.
Freight loading at 3.13 million tonnes, higher than last year in last three months with 1,039 trains loaded with foodgrain, fertilizer, steel, cement, iron ore and coal, is an encouraging sign. Lockdown period was used to repair or improve about 200 railway infrastructure works which has helped speed up freight trains from an average of 23 kmph to 45 kmph.
Reduced number of passenger trains too provided more leeway to run these trains and efforts are on to reduce the logistics costs during loading and unloading. About 1,271 goods sheds have been identified across the country where internal roads will be decked up and ‘airport’ kind of lighting will be provided so that the freight operations can be done round the clock. Forty-one new private freight terminals will be added to the existing 67, said Mr. Yadav.
Online booking of parcel space, dedicated parcel terminals, separation of parcel space from passenger platforms, collaborating with Department of Posts for end-to-end logistics solutions, started as pilot basis in Mumbai and other places, will be extended across the country.
Soon the Railways will come up with a time-tabled freight trains operations manual and this will be separate from the passenger trains time-table to be run on separate corridors post-COVID-19 too, he affirmed.
Dedicated corridors
Mr. Yadav also asserted that private players will also be invited for freight operations once the dedicated freight corridors become operational between Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata to begin with. “A total of 10,000 km modern freight corridor will become operational between Dec. 2021 - March 2022 where trains can travel at 100 kmph with double-decker containers. With increased capacity there will be space for private freight operations though as of now Railways is the sole agency. We will hold talks with interested parties soon,” he added.
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