Western Railway has achieved a landmark milestone, surpassing 100 million tonnes (MT) of originating freight loading for the fourth consecutive year, reaching the mark on Thursday well ahead of the financial year`s close.
In a press release, the Western Railways said that its total freight loading for the period between April 2025 and Thursday, March 12, 2026, was 100.02 MT.
Strong growth across key commodities
The performance was broad-based, with several major commodity segments posting double-digit growth compared to the previous financial year. Container loading emerged as the largest contributor at 33.66 MT, growing over 10 per cent, while fertilizer loading recorded one of the sharpest jumps rising approximately 22 per cent to reach 18.92 MT. Cement loading stood at 14.53 MT, up over 3 per cent.
Foodgrain loading grew the fastest among tracked segments, surging over 28 per cent to reach 1.00 MT. Iron and steel loading, at 0.69 MT, posted growth of around 24 per cent. Other commodities collectively accounted for 15.94 MT, registering growth of approximately 10 per cent. Coal and petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) were among the other major segments contributing to the overall total.
New freight streams bolster portfolio
Beyond consolidating existing traffic, Western Railway also developed entirely new freight streams during the year. Commodities such as industrial salt, onion and automobiles were introduced from several locations, including Sanosara, Bhimasar, Vartej, the Vadodara Marshalling Yard, Kadi, and Gandhidham, diversifying the zone`s freight portfolio and opening new revenue corridors.
Sustained focus on efficiency
Officials attributed the milestone to a targeted strategy centred on attracting new freight streams, improving logistics efficiency and delivering customer-centric solutions to shippers. The fourth consecutive year above the 100 MT threshold signals a structural strengthening of Western Railway`s freight operations rather than a one-off performance.
The achievement is seen as a significant contribution to the Indian Railways` broader push to increase its share of the national freight market and reduce logistics costs for industry.
Western Railway sets target to double non-fare revenue to Rs 239 crore in FY 2026-27
In line with the Prime Minister`s Office (PMO) directive to significantly enhance non-ticket revenue streams for Indian Railways, Western Railway (WR) has set an ambitious target to double its Non-Fare Revenue (NFR) in the coming financial year.
The decision was discussed during a high-level brainstorming meeting chaired by Western Railway`s Principal Chief Commercial Manager (PCCM) Tarun Jain, who held discussions with Senior Divisional Commercial Managers (Sr. DCMs) from across the zone to chart out strategies for achieving the goal.
PMO push to double Indian Railways` non-fare revenue
The initiative follows a national mandate to increase Indian Railways` Non-Fare Revenue from Rs 750 crore to Rs 1,500 crore through innovative commercial strategies and better utilisation of railway assets.
Western Railway has already reported strong performance in this segment, earning Rs 117 crore in NFR as of February 2026 in the current financial year. Building on this momentum, the zone has set a target of Rs 239.24 crore for FY 2026–27.
Officials said the focus will be on leveraging innovative commercial models and expanding revenue streams beyond traditional advertising formats.
