The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Chennai-Tiruchi-Nagercoil sector most profitable

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 19, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Chennai-Tiruchi-Nagercoil sector most profitable

By S. Vydhianathan

CHENNAI, APRIL 18. Southern Railway has made record earnings in passenger traffic in the last financial year surpassing the previous year's earnings as well as the Railway Board's target.

The originating passenger earnings during last year (2003-04) was about Rs. 1,252 crores as against Rs. 1,161 crores in the previous year (2002-03), registering an increase of 7.8 per cent. The Board's target was Rs. 1,250 crores.

In the case of apportioned earnings, the zone recorded 8.9 per cent increase over the previous year. Last year's apportioned earning was Rs. 1,147 crores compared to previous year's Rs. 1,053 crores. The Board's target for the year was Rs. 1,145 crores.

Special trains operated during various seasons received good response and the earnings through such trains during last year were Rs. 15 crores as against Rs. 12 crores the previous year. Last year 6720 additional coaches were attached to various trains to meet the extra rush of passengers. There has been a substantial increase in revenue from special trains operated for groups. The earnings were Rs. 2 crores compared to Rs. 66 lakhs in the previous year, according to official sources.

In the case of non-suburban traffic there has been 6.1 per cent increase with 8.1 per cent rise in revenue. About 1803 lakh passengers were transported compared to 1699 lakhs in the previous year.

For the fourth successive year in succession, Chennai-Tiruchi-Nagercoil (BG) corridor continues to be the major passenger income generator for Southern Railway. This sector earned Rs. 125 crores in the last financial year compared to Rs. 100 crores in the previous year. Officials said there was a good potential for increasing passenger traffic further in the section. But due to limited line availability, the administration was not able to increase the number of services.

Realising the ever-increasing passenger traffic in the section, they said the Railway Ministry had sanctioned doubling of the Dindigul-Madurai and the Chengalpattu-Villupuram sections. If these two projects came through it would help the zonal administration operate more services in the sector.

The Chennai-Bangalore sector was the second highest revenue earning section and it was Rs. 90 crores last year. This was closely followed by the Chennai - Trivandrum sector.

The demand for AC berths and chair cars is on the rise with 22 per cent increase in revenue from AC two-tier, 18 per cent from AC three-tier and 15 per cent AC chair car.

The efficiency index of the coach utilisation in the last financial year had improved from 531 to 588, which means that a coach on an average ran 588 km in a year as against 531 km in the previous year.

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