Southern Railway registers impressive growth in freight and passenger segments during April-December 2023
The Hindu
The growth in freight loading has been fuelled by coal, iron and steel, fertilisers, iron ore, cement, foodgrain, petroleum-oil-lubricants (POL), and container traffic.
Southern Railway, that serves parts of Dakshina Kannada district, has recorded robust growth in freight and passenger segments in the first nine months of financial year 2023-24.
It recorded a 6% increase in originating freight loading by handling 29.351 million tonnes of freight between April-December when compared to 27.66 million tonnes during the corresponding period in the previous fiscal.
In December 2023, Southern Railway registered an originating freight loading of 3.241 million tonnes. The growth in freight loading has been fuelled by coal, iron and steel, fertilisers, iron ore, cement, foodgrain, petroleum-oil-lubricants (POL), and container traffic.
“The zone earned ₹2,651 crore from originating freight,” said Chief Public Relations Officer B. Guganesan.
A predominantly passenger-oriented zone, Southern Railway earned ₹5,254.93 crore from originating passenger traffic during the period by handling over 52.8 crore (528 million) passengers. The number of passenger handled rose by 12.8% when compared to 46.8 crore (468 million) handled during April-December 2022, Mr. Guganesan said. The passenger revenue increased by 12.1%, compared to ₹4,689.46 crore earned in April-December 2022.
In December 2023 alone, SR’s Palakkad division earned ₹50 crore freight revenue from its Panambur yard (New Mangalore Port), highlighting the significance of a well-managed and robust railway network.
The earnings was the first instance in its history of substantial revenue generation. The earnings could be attributed to the successful operation of 204 loaded rakes, comprising 10,670 wagons. The efforts culminated in the transportation of 6.97 lakh tonnes of goods, including coal, pet coke, fertilisers and edible oils.
Stock markets gained momentum after a slow start, with Sensex rising 105.17 points and Nifty up 35 points.
Rupee dips 5 paise to 89.95 against the dollar amid foreign fund outflows and a sluggish equity market opening.
Direct flights from Chennai and Coimbatore to Navi Mumbai airport start December 29, enhancing travel options for passengers.
Survey highlights alarming harassment practices by banks in India, revealing widespread intimidation and threats during loan recovery efforts.
Akum Pharma's finance chief Rajkumar Bafna resigns, citing Delhi's severe pollution as his reason for departure.
Seven of India’s top-10 firms saw a combined market cap drop of ₹35,439.36 crore last week, led by SBI and Reliance Industries, while HDFC Bank, Infosys gained.
PMO directs Coal India to list all subsidiaries by 2030 to improve governance, transparency, and unlock asset value.
The Hindu explains: What are the signals from the Indian economy?
In the next five years, technologies like energy storage and green hydrogen would fundamentally reshape India’s renewable energy ecosystem, says a top company official.
Historically, energy security for the world’s third-largest oil consumer India has been about navigating the prevailing geopolitics whilst ensuring a positive economics for purchase of crude oil purchases.
India leverages trade agreements with RCEP countries, strategically avoiding risks associated with China while maximizing market access.
IndiGo contests a ₹13 lakh GST penalty imposed by Punjab's tax department, claiming the ruling is erroneous.
Indian investors had a tumultuous year as the benchmark Nifty returns dipped to negative with overall market turnover hitting a low in December 2025. Howeve, investor interest in gold exchange traded funds (ETFs) increased this year.