Working on increasing the loading volume and revenue, Western Railway is taking the best possible efforts to optimize its freight business. Regular meetings are held with prospective customers, to tap business opportunities. Goods shed too are being developed, to make loading convenient and to provide a place of rest for the workers.
According to a press release issued by Sumit Thakur – Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, towards the direction of developing goods shed, a model restroom has been developed at Ranoli goods shed. These goods shed boasts of a crèche along with a workers’ restroom. Ranoli goods shed in Vadodara Division has one-third of women workers engaged in loading/unloading activities.
The model building has three rooms with the first one is a ladies’ restroom cum crèche. The room has been provided with an attached toilet, along with a baby nursing corner, toys, blackboard, books. The second room is for male workers and equipped with furniture, a fire extinguisher, first aid box. The third room is for customers and has furniture and the walls have posters displaying various freight incentive schemes.
Thakur said that the Business Development Unit (BDU) of Vadodara Division clinched deals of two new commodities. One was of Clinker traffic from Hazira in Vadodara to Khurja in Uttar Pradesh and the other was of steel pipes from Dahej to Dekargaon in Assam. Consignee for Clinker was M/s Kanodiya Cement Ltd and WR earned revenue of over Rs 71 lakhs through this consignment. The other loading was of steel pipes, traversing 2,698 km earning revenue to the tune of Rs 53.61 lakh.
He further added that the total goods loading from 1.04.20 to 1.03.21 is 73.60 million tonnes as compared to 71.92 million tonnes in the same period in the previous financial year. This increase has been achieved despite the nationwide lockdown. From 23rd March 2020 to 1st March 2021, commodities weighing approx. 2.74 lakh tonnes have been transported by WR through its 940 parcel special trains, which mainly included agricultural produce, medicines, fish, milk. The revenue generated through this transportation has been about Rs 97.23 crore.
During this period, 173 milk special trains were run by WR, with a load of approx. 1.28 lakh tonnes and 100% utilization of the wagons. Similarly, 602 Covid-19 special parcel trains with a load of more than 76 thousand tonnes were also run to transport various essential commodities. In addition to this, 111 indented rakes carrying more than 50 thousand tonnes were also run with almost 100% utilization. 54 kisan rails have been run so far carrying more than 19 thousand tonnes.
During the lockdown period from 22nd March 2020 till 1st March 2021, a total of 32,926 rakes of goods trains has been used by WR to supply essential commodities amounting to 72.88 million tonnes. 67,989 freight trains have been interchanged with other zonal railways, in which 34,035 trains were handed over and 33,954 trains taken over at different interchange points.
On 2nd March 2021, four special trains left from various parts of WR, which includes 2 parcel special one from Porbandar to Shalimar and Bandra Terminus to Jammu Tawi, an indent special from Karambeli to New Guwahati and a Kisan Rail left from Dahanu Road to Adarsh Nagar.
