ECoR becomes first railway zone in India to load 250 MT originating freight in FY 2024-25

ECoR has released 228.3 MT of freight under its jurisdiction in the 2024-25 financial year. File Photo. iStock

East Coast Railway (ECoR) has once again set a historic milestone in freight loading by becoming the first railway zone in India to achieve 250 million tons (MT) of originating freight in the financial year 2024-25.

This was accomplished 11 days ahead of schedule—by March 21, 2024—before the end of the financial year. ECoR’s freight loading record surpasses all previous benchmarks of Indian Railways, reinforcing its status as the highest freight-loading zone in the country.

Second time

This is the second consecutive year that ECoR has crossed the 250 MT mark. Notably, ECoR has also achieved the distinction of surpassing 200 MT of freight loading for the sixth consecutive year, according to a statement issued here on Friday night.

Additionally, ECoR has released/unloaded 228.3 million tons of freight under its jurisdiction in the 2024-25 financial year, registering an increase of 2.6 percent compared to the 2023-24 fiscal. As of March 21 in the 2023-24 fiscal year, ECoR had unloaded 222.4 MT of freight within its jurisdiction.

The three railway divisions of East Coast Railway played a crucial role in the remarkable achievement. The major freight contributors include the coalfields of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) at Talcher, five key ports under ECoR ’s jurisdiction: Paradeep, Dhamara, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, and Gopalpur, iron ore mines in Bailadila (Chhattisgarh) and Keonjhar District (Odisha) and major steel and aluminium industries.

Despite various operational challenges, this record-breaking achievement was made possible through meticulous planning, seamless coordination with government sectors, industries, and stakeholders, and an unwavering commitment to efficiency.

The dedicated workforce of East Coast Railway, with its positive attitude and relentless efforts, has played a key role in maintaining this momentum of success, ECoR General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal said.

This phenomenal performance further cements East Coast Railway’s position as a frontrunner in freight transportation, significantly contributing to the nation’s economic growth and logistics efficiency, he added.