Railways exceeds production targets, freight earning up 15.48%

New Delhi, May 1 (UNI) Riding high on its spectacular performance, the Railways ended the fiscal 2006-07 with a freight loading of 728.41 million tonnes(MT) as compared to 666.51 MT a year earlier, an increase of 9.29 per cent.

Freight earnings also went up from Rs 36,286.97 crore to Rs 41,904.80 crore during the period, registering an increase of 15.48 per cent.

Passenger earnings improved from Rs 15,080.77 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 17,160.12 crore during 2006-07, an increase of 13.79 per cent.

The number of train accidents came down from 233 during 2005-06 to 194 in 2006-07.

The Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), Integral Coach Factory (ICF) and Rail Coach Factory (RCF) produced 186 locomotives and 1251 and 1319 coaches respectively during 2006-07, exceeding the target by 36 locomotives and 10 and 83 coaches.

Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) produced 1,26,126 wheels and 58,259 axles during the same period compared to the target of 1,26,080 wheels and 58,723 axles while Chitranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) produced 150 electrical locomotives, equalling the target.

The punctuality of mail/express trains was 91.5 per cent in Broad Gauge and 98.4 per cent in Metre Gauge during 2006-07 as compared to 91.2 per cent and 97.6 per cent respectively during the same period last year.

UNI