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South Western Railway Tops in Traffic, Revenue Growth
by Fakir Balaji
Bangalore, Dec 31 (IANS) The South Western Railway (SWR), one of the
youngest railway zones, has registered a record growth in freight
and passenger traffic in the first eight months (April-November) of
the current fiscal (2006-07).
SWR posted a revenue of Rs.21.98 billion from April to November as
against Rs.16.18 billion in the corresponding period the last fiscal
- a growth of 34.5 percent while the all-India growth was 15.7
percent in the same period, SWR general manager T.N. Perti told IANS.
"Revenue from freight traffic increased to Rs.16.44 billion during
the first eight months as against Rs.11.92 billion, registering
year-on-year (YoY) growth of 37.4 percent. The all-India growth in
the same period was 16.84 percent.
"Similarly, passenger traffic generated Rs.4.41 billion as against
Rs.3.75 billion, registering YoY growth of 17.7 percent. Revenue
from other coach services such as parcels and non-core operations
yielded Rs.500 million in the same period as against Rs.210 million
last year," Perti said.
Passenger traffic grew by 16.24 percent up to November as against
the all-India growth of 7.6 percent.
About 73 million passengers travelled within and outside the zone in
the first eight months, up from 62.8 million in the same period last
year. Freight traffic in tonnage grew by 15.83 percent against the
all-India growth of 10 percent.
"Given the scale and area of operations, the growth in freight and
passenger traffic in the zone was the highest in the country," Perti
pointed out.
Headquartered at Hubli, SWR has three divisions - Bangalore, Mysore
and Hubli. Its route network extends into some parts of Goa, Andhra
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Being on a high-density route, Bangalore
division generates maximum traffic as well as revenue. With a
budgetary allocation of Rs.2.4 billion for the current fiscal, the
zone has taken up several projects such as doubling of tracks, guage
conversion, introduction of new trains and modernization of stations
in the
region.
Perti said: "The Bangalore-Mangalore section will be thrown open to
passenger traffic in the coming months after the railway safety
commissioner certifies the track between Sakelespur and Kukke
Subramanya in the Western Ghat section.
"Though the 330-km track has been converted into broad guage and
goods trains are operated currently, landslides and slippages due to
heavy rainfall in the region during the monsoons have affected the
track in stretches."
To sustain the growth momentum and unlock the potential for freight
as well as passenger traffic, SWR has taken up doubling of tracks
between Bangalore and Jolarpetta towards Chennai, Bangalore-Ramanagaram
towards Mysore and Bangalore-Tumkur towards Hubli.
"We have also taken up guage conversion between Bangalore and Kolar,
Shimoga-Talaguppa, Kadur-Chikmagalur and between Kottur and Harihar
in Malnad region," he sai.
In the next fiscal (2007-08), doubling of tracks between Hospet and
Bellary and between Bijapur and Gadag in north Karnataka will be
taken up.
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