(ET)
The Indian Railways has taken a number of initiatives to boost freight operations amid challenges due to COVID-19. “On mission mode, Indian Railways has taken a number of initiatives to boost freight operations in spite of COVID 19 related challenges. Because of these initiatives, the freight loading in the month of August 2020 (till 27 August 2020) is 4.3 per cent higher, compared to last year for the same month,” read a press statement.
It said, in the month of August 2020 (till 27 August 2020) the total freight loading was 81.33 million tonnes which is higher than last year for the same month (77.97 million tonnes). Indian Railways has taken a series of initiatives in the tariff and non-tariff field. Utilising Covid period as an opportunity, Indian Railways substantially increased the speed of freight trains. 72 per cent increase in average speed of Freight Trains in the year 2020-21 as compared to last year. 94 per cent increase took place in speed of freight trains in August 2020 compared to August 2019, it said.
