Firozepur division generates Rs 175cr revenue in a month

Ludhiana: Amid the lockdown crises due to coronavirus pandemic in the country and after the railways cancelled all the long-route trains from the past four months, the revenue earned by the local railway authorities (Firozepur division) has increased by 17 per cent by only running freight trains to several states in the past one month.

The divisional-level authorities have shared details about total earnings in June this year by running maximum number of goods trains, which has touched Rs 175 crore and is 17 per cent more than the revenue generated last year by running goods trains.

Last year, the division had earned Rs 152 crore, of which Rs 40 crore (approx) came from passenger trains and Rs 110 crore from freight earnings, while Rs 2 crore was categorised as miscellaneous earnings.

In 2020, the railway authorities have faced a huge downfall in their earnings after the central government took the decision of imposing strict lockdown in the country following the rise in cases of Covid-19. But, the railway authorities turned the tough situation into a new opportunity and increased their revenue by running special trains carrying goods and parcels to several parts of the country through their day and night working.

Sources in the railway department have revealed that the Firozpur division of the Northern Railways has emerged as one of highest exporters of essential goods by transporting more than 14 lakh tonne essential commodities goods through several trains to rest of the nation by providing continuous service.

Divisional railway Manager Rajesh Aggarwal said, “The Firozepur divisional-level railway authorities had pitched in almost 50 special parcel trains in June for transporting huge amount of essential goods to different parts of the country and this resulted in generating highest revenue of Rs 175 crore, which is highest ever collection as compared to past year.”