The Mysuru Division of South Western Railway earned a record freight revenue of ₹688.18 crore in 2021-22, which is the highest ever for the division.
On the passenger front the Division earned ₹193.80 crore in the current year transporting 14.04 million passengers on originating basis while sundry earnings stood at ₹11 crore. The gross revenue from freight, passenger, parcel and sundry earnings stood at ₹902 crore.
While the earnings are impressive, it also underlines the buoyancy in the economic turnaround despite the many challenges thrown up by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The freight revenue of ₹688.18 crore in 2021-22 is a 54.58 per cent growth over the revenue earned during the same period in the previous financial year (2020-21) and 22.60% over and above the target fixed for the division.
Manjunath Kanamadi, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Mysuru Division said the tonnage too, at 9.09 million tonnes, surged 32.24% over last year figures. The freight revenue from transportation of iron ore alone stood at a whopping ₹503 crore, surpassing the entire freight revenue of FY 2020-21, he added.
The freight earning was also attributed to an aggressive and sustained marketing strategy of the Business Development Unit (BDU) of the division which was constituted almost two years ago to enhance revenue. The authorities said maize traffic has been recaptured by the Railways with 123 rakes having been despatched netting a revenue of ₹32.50 crore.
Mr. Kanamadi said Mysuru Division is in the process of diversifying its freight basket and perceives automobiles as a potential space to tap into. In the current fiscal as many as 20.5 rakes, comprising 22,500 two wheelers of the TVS Group, were despatched from Nanjangud Town railway station to North and North-eastern parts of the country fetching revenue of ₹4 crore. The traditional commodities loaded from Mysuru Division include iron ore, petroleum products, food grains, sugar, cement, ballast etc.
In the parcel segment, the division achieved the highest ever revenue of ₹9.60 crore. In all, 17,475 tonnes of parcels was lifted in the current year registering over 100% increase as against 8,534 tonnes recorded in 2020-21.
‘’Consistent with the policy of the Ministry of Railways to strengthen the agriculture sector to mitigate the difficulties of the farming community by transporting perishables, including fruits and vegetables, Mysuru Division despatched nearly 20,000 bags of onion to North & North-eastern States and the revenue earned is ₹52 lakh’’, according to Mr. Kanamadi.
In addition to it, 16 parcel cargo express trains were run from Nanjangud Town carrying Nestle products, tyres and others bringing in revenue of ₹2 crore. Over 130 loaded parcel vans were attached to fast moving passenger carrying trains giving revenue of ₹3.36 crore.
Notwithstanding the negative fallout of the pandemic, Mysuru Division has not only been able to undertake a record freight business in the current year, but also kept the supply chains unbroken through seamless movement of goods across its network, according to the railway authorities.
