Railways Crosses 1 Billion Tonne Freight Mark by November 19 in FY 25-26: Ministry

FY 25-26: New Delhi, The Indian railways have just one big thing to add to their recent successes - freight performance continues to go from strength to strength, and that's making India's economic engine even more robust.

By mid-November, the railways had freight totalling 1,020 million tonnes - 20 million tonnes more than one billion - which is a pretty impressive milestone.

This milestone reflects broad-based support from key sectors: coal is the largest contributor, coming in at 505 million tonnes. But that's not all - iron ore, cement, foodgrains - you name it - have all seen some growth. Then there's the extra revenue rail is raking in on fertiliser, mineral oil, pig iron & finished steel, and raw materials for steel plants.

"Daily loading continues to hold strong at around 4.4 MT, higher than 4.2 MT last year, demonstrating improved operational efficiency and sustained demand," it added.

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Drawing a comparison, it emphasised that freight loading between April to October further underscores this positive trajectory, touching 935.1 MT in 2025, compared to 906.9 MT during the same period last year, marking a healthy year-on-year growth.

"This sustained momentum, combined with improved daily loading rates, demonstrates Railways' capacity to support India's industrial expansion and infrastructure development," the note said.

"Recognising the critical role of cement in India's infrastructure growth, Railways has taken significant steps to optimise this segment's logistics capabilities," it added.

Highlighting the recent rollout of comprehensive reforms, including the Policy for Bulk Cement Terminals and rationalised rates for bulk cement movement in containers, the ministry said that these developments made a strategic initiative to modernise cement transportation.

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"These measures aim to increase bulk handling capacity, reduce transit time, and lower logistics costs, directly benefiting both industry players and end consumers while driving greater efficiency across the supply chain. Such targeted interventions catalyse sectoral transformation," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, by switching bulk freight from road to rail, they stand to gain a whole lot more than just the cash flowing in.

"It reduces carbon footprints, decongests highways, and provides industries, including MSMEs, access to greener logistics solutions," the note said.

"These developments reinforce India's commitment to sustainable growth, aligning freight operations with the nation's journey towards Net Zero Carbon Emission targets and positioning Railways as a catalyst for both economic and environmental progress," it added.

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