Bhubaneswar: East Coast Railway (ECoR) has become the first Railway Zone in the country to cross the 100 million tonnes (MT) mark in freight unloading during the current financial year 2026-27, achieving the milestone 17 days ahead of the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
The achievement reflects ECoR’s sustained efforts to improve freight handling, wagon turnaround and asset utilisation, enabling faster and more efficient movement of goods across its network.
During the period, ECoR recorded a 9.8 per cent growth in freight release tonnage over the corresponding period of 2025-26.
The growth was supported by improved wagon handling and quicker release of freight rakes, particularly BOXN and BOBRN wagons.
The release of BOXN wagons increased by 7.3 per cent, while BOBRN wagon release registered a 9.8 per cent growth compared to the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
The improved wagon release performance indicates better turnaround of freight rakes and enhanced operational efficiency across the zone.
ECoR also registered a 3.9 per cent growth in freight loading, while freight earnings increased by 3.2 per cent during the corresponding period.
The gains underline the zone’s continued focus on increasing freight throughput and making optimum use of available railway assets.
Freight transportation through ECoR caters to the requirements of major industries and businesses by facilitating the movement of essential commodities and raw materials.
The improved unloading and wagon release performance is expected to facilitate faster, smoother and more cost-effective transportation, further strengthening the role of railways in the logistics chain.