Newdelhi:4/11/26:Indian Railways recorded its highest-ever freight loading for October, transporting 145.07 million tonnes of goods in October 2026, an increase of 8.32 per cent from 133.93 million tonnes in the corresponding month last year, according to official data.
The growth was driven by increased transportation of key commodities, including food grains, coal, clinker, iron ore and steel, reflecting sustained demand across major sectors of the economy.
Food grains recorded the highest growth in freight loading at 26.3 per cent, followed by domestic coal at 16 per cent, other goods at 11 per cent and clinker at 10.4 per cent.
Domestic container traffic increased by 6.3 per cent, while iron ore loading rose by 5 per cent. Mineral oil and finished steel registered growth of 1.9 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively.
To meet rising demand from power plants, Indian Railways increased domestic coal transportation during the month. The average number of coal rakes supplied daily rose to 469.8 in October 2026 from 393.2 in October 2025, marking a growth of 19.5 per cent.
The October performance contributed to an overall increase in freight loading during the first seven months of the 2026-27 financial year.
Between April and October 2026, Indian Railways transported 978.78 million tonnes of freight, compared with 935.10 million tonnes during the corresponding period of the previous financial year, registering growth of 4.67 per cent.
Passenger traffic also registers growth
Passenger traffic also increased during October, with Indian Railways carrying 64.72 crore passengers, compared with 63.52 crore in the same month last year.
During the April–October 2026 period, the national transporter carried 443.8 crore passengers, up from 431.4 crore during the corresponding period in 2025.
The non-suburban passenger segment recorded growth of 4.2 per cent, while suburban passenger traffic increased by 1.7 per cent.
Indian Railways said the growth in freight and passenger transportation reflects ongoing efforts to expand capacity, improve operational efficiency and strengthen the country’s logistics and transportation network.
The national transporter continues to focus on infrastructure development and capacity augmentation to meet growing demand and support economic activity across the country