Freight movement by rail increased in the state as Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad divisions recorded a considerable rise compared to last year.
Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad handled freight worth ₹412 crore and ₹583.37 crore, respectively. Cement, fertilisers, ballast, petroleum products and laterite stones formed most of the items handled. Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad railway divisions cover the entire state.
According to Southern Railway, total freight revenue was ₹412.23 crore in the April 2024 – March 2025 period in Thiruvananthapuram, which was 0.16 per cent higher than the previous year. The total gross revenue increased by 7.60 per cent, with earnings of ₹2,313.19 crore, including passenger, goods and sundry revenue. Thiruvananthapuram handled 3,610.36 metric tonnes of freight.
Similarly, Palakkad division crossed the yearly target for freight traffic of ₹482.49 crore as well as the tonnage target of 6.560 million tonnes for the year 2024-25. The actual gross earnings up to the end of March 23 were ₹592.42 crore and the tonnage handled was 6.594 million tonnes.
Coal, fertilisers and petroleum, oil and lubricants are the chief freight commodities originating from the state, a railway official said. He mentioned that freight loading was low from Kerala because most of the freight is inbound, as the state is a consumer state. This could be a reason why the quantity of freight loaded and revenue are low in Kerala.
However, Palakkad division’s freight earnings surged by 36.5 per cent, rising from ₹427.64 crore in the previous fiscal year to ₹583.37 crore.
The key contributors to growth are coal and pet coke, crucial for power plants, fertiliser supply to farmers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, supply of cement and ballast for the construction sector and petroleum products to cater to the energy and transportation needs of the region.
The official stated that the railways moved goods and products crucial for the industry in the state while bringing in produce needed for the people.