Indian Railways Freight Loading Reaches 1,465 MT in FY 2024-25

Indian Railways has achieved a freight loading of 1,465.371 million tonnes (MT) in the financial year 2024-25, surpassing the 1,443.166 MT recorded in 2023-24, the Ministry of Railways announced in a post on 'X'. The national transporter has set an ambitious goal of reaching 3,000 MT freight loading by 2027.

“Indian Railways is steadily progressing toward its ambitious target of 3,000 MT freight loading, achieving 1,465.371 MT in FY 2024-25,” the ministry stated.

Over the past 11 years, the movement of both freight and passenger trains has increased significantly, supported by the addition of over 34,000 km of new railway tracks across India.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the strong growth in the production of locomotives, coaches, wheels, and axles in the current financial year.

“The IR has marked steady growth in the manufacturing of coaches, locomotives, wheels, and axles. During the financial year of 2023-24, 1.98 lakh wheels were manufactured, which has now increased to 2.43 lakh during the financial year of 2024-25, up until January 2025, registering an increase of 23%,” the minister said.

In locomotive production, the Railways registered a 9% rise, producing 1,346 locomotives in 2024-25, compared to 1,235 in the previous year (up until January). Meanwhile, coach manufacturing saw a 12% increase, rising from 5,169 units in 2023-24 to 8,805 in 2024-25. Axle production also grew by 7%, from 77,636 units to 83,275 units.

Additionally, the ministry reported a five-fold rise in the number of women loco pilots over the past decade. From just 371 in 2014, the figure has surged to 1,828 in 2024, reflecting a significant push for gender inclusion in the workforce.