The Indian Railways reported a 2.3 per cent year-on-year increase in freight loading to 133.9 million tonnes (mt) in October 2025, with monthly freight earnings touching an all-time high of ₹14,216.4 crore, according to official data.
The rise was driven by robust growth across key commodities — Pig Iron and Finished Steel saw an 18.4 per cent surge, Iron Ore rose 4.8 per cent, Fertilisers jumped 27.8 per cent, Containers grew 5.7 per cent, and Balance Other Goods recorded a 10.8 per cent increase.
However, coal loading declined 2.5 per cent to 65.9 mt during the month, though cumulative coal movement for the current fiscal remained marginally higher at 462.8 mt, up 0.2 per cent.
Overall, cumulative freight loading for April–October stood at 935.1 mt, up 3.1 per cent year-on-year, generating ₹1,00,920 crore in revenue for the national transporter.
“Growth in container and diversified commodity movement reflects a healthy broadening of the Railways’ freight basket,” a senior railway official said.
Time-Tabled Cargo Services Gain Momentum
In September, the Railways launched scheduled, commodity-specific, time-tabled cargo services, connecting key production and consumption hubs across North India.
Among these are:
Annapurna Service (Ludhiana–Varanasi): Transports foodgrains over 704 km in 17 hours.
Gati-Vahan Service (Farrukhnagar–Lucknow): Moves automobiles 557 km in 28 hours, cutting transit time from 70 hours earlier.
Niryaat Cargo Service (Garhi–Mundra Port): Carries containerised cargo 1,061 km in 32 hours.
Anantnag Cement Cargo Service (Roopnagar–Anantnag): Covers 586 km in 31 hours for cement movement.
These services were introduced after extensive consultations with stakeholders such as the Food Corporation of India, automobile manufacturers, container train operators, and various railway zones. Initially launched on a trial basis, officials said the time-tabled cargo trains have now stabilised and are running efficiently.
Fixed-Schedule Container Trains for Faster EXIM Movement
In another notable reform, the Railways has allowed select container train operators to run fixed-schedule services to ensure timely delivery of containerised cargo. Discussions are currently underway with private container operators for a scheduled export-import (EXIM) service between Tughlakabad Inland Container Depot (ICD) and Adani Mundra Port.
Meanwhile, the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) commenced a new Tughlakabad–Kolkata container service via Agra and Kanpur on October 1, further strengthening the network for time-bound cargo delivery.
