East Coast Railway Retains Top Spot in Freight Handling in 2025–26

Records Highest-Ever Freight Loading
Bhubaneswar, April 1, 2026: The Indian Railways’ East Coast Railway (ECoR) has once again emerged as the leading freight handling zone, achieving a record-breaking freight loading of 286.3 million tonnes (MT) during the financial year 2025–26. This marks an increase of 27 MT compared to 259.25 MT in 2024–25, highlighting sustained operational efficiency and growth.

Strong Growth in Freight Revenue
Alongside the rise in freight loading, East Coast Railway reported impressive earnings of ₹29,456.60 crore from freight operations, up from ₹26,691.82 crore in the previous fiscal. This represents a growth of over 10%, reinforcing its dominant position among all railway zones.

Seven Years of Consistent Performance
ECoR has now surpassed the 200 MT freight loading benchmark for the seventh consecutive year. The zone alone contributed 17.1% to the total 1669.9 MT freight handled by Indian Railways, underlining its strategic importance. Key commodities transported include coal, iron ore, steel, cement, alumina, fertilizers, and food grains.

Passenger Segment Also Shows Growth
The zone also witnessed steady improvement in passenger services. During 2025–26, East Coast Railway carried 97.64 million passengers, generating ₹2,495.51 crore in revenue. This is an increase from 93.52 million passengers and ₹2,371.09 crore earned in 2024–25.

Operational Excellence Driving Success
The achievement is attributed to efficient freight management, improved wagon utilization, enhanced infrastructure, modern signalling systems, and strong inter-departmental coordination. With continued focus on safety, innovation, and service quality, East Coast Railway remains a key driver of growth for Indian Railways.