Coal movement to power plants helps Eastern Railway improve freight handling figures
Kolkata, Aug 5
The Eastern Railway, primarily considered a passenger carrying zone under the Indian Railways, has recorded significant growth in freight handling in the first four months of 2026-27.
The movement of imported coal played a crucial part in this.
Imported coal is primarily transported to thermal power plants of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
The ER moved 23.14 million tonnes of coal between April 1, 2026 and July 31, 2026. This was a 7.29 per cent increase from the quantity carried in the corresponding four months of 2025-26. Coal moved by ER between April 1, 2025 and July 31, 2025, was 21.567 million tonnes.
"As a consequence, earnings from coal freight witnessed a significant surge of 13.22 per cent, generating Rs 2,263.20 crore compared to Rs 1,998.95 crore collected during the same four-month window in 2025. This underscores ER's expanding market share in bulk energy logistics," a senior official said.
The total freight loading across all commodities (including coal) for the first four months of this financial year was 33.391 million tonnes, up from 32.599 million tonnes during the same period in 2025. This was a growth of 2.43 per cent.
The overall freight earnings for the period also went up to Rs 3,192.97 crore from Rs 3,044.11 crore earned in 2025. This reflects a revenue increase of 4.89 per cent.
"Special efforts are constantly made to increase loading. Through steady growth in its freight transport operations, ER is playing a pivotal role in driving the economy, supporting regional industries, and delivering real benefits to local communities. The railway zone has expanded its freight capacity, showcasing a clear year-over-year growth trajectory that strengthens industrial supply chains across the region," the official said.
The steady supply of coal to the power plants has ensured in uninterrupted supply of electricity to both homes and industry.
The economy that rail transportation offers helped in keeping local market prices stable.
"The additional revenue generated allows ER to spend more on activities such as track modernisations and cleaner, better station facilities for the millions of passengers it carries daily. Hence, there is a correlation between freight movement and passenger services," the official added.
While ER will never be able to bring down its operating ratio to below 100 as passenger services are heavily subsidised, it will continue to try and earn as much revenue as possible, officials said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The official says additional revenue will be spent on track modernization and station facilities. I hope that's true, because passengers like me suffer daily delays on ER routes. Freight earnings are great, but don't forget the crores of passengers who keep the railways running. 🙏
7.29% increase in coal movement is impressive, but let's talk about the operating ratio still being above 100. The railways are subsidizing passenger fares so heavily that even this freight boom can't cover costs. That's not sustainable. Sometimes we need to accept that freebies have a price — and it's the taxpayer who pays.
As a Kolkata resident, I see the Howrah-Delhi main line packed with coal rakes daily. Good to know it's helping NTPC plants keep the lights on. But the dust from open coal wagons is choking our city! Please use covered wagons or at least sprinkle water. Health matters too. 😷
Imported coal at 23 million tonnes — that's a lot of forex outflow. The government keeps saying coal imports will drop, but numbers don't lie. We need faster environmental clearances for domestic mines and better logistics from coal belts like Jharkhand and Odisha. Otherwise, Eastern Railway's "success" is built on imports.
Interesting to see the Indian Railways balancing act. In the US, freight and passenger services are usually separate. The fact that ER is using freight revenue to subsidize passenger operations is a unique model. 13.22% surge in coal freight earnings is solid — hope the
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