Passenger traffic grew by 0.7 % in 2017-18: Railway official

The Railways saw an increase of 0.7 per cent in the number of passengers in 2017-18 as against last year

The Railways saw an increase of 0.7 per cent in the number of passengers in 2017-18 as against last year, an official said on Saturday.

Passengers board an overcrowded train at a railway station in Ajmer, India, October 23, 2016. (Reuters File Photo)

“For the first time in the last five years, the figures of 2017-18 (April-November) indicate a 0.7 per cent increase in passengers vis-à-vis last year and a 5.13 per cent increase in revenues,” Railway Board member (traffic) Mohd Jamshedpur, said at the National Rail Transport Seminar here.

He said the reserved segment recorded a growth of 6.36 per cent during the period.

Freight traffic too registered a growth. The Indian Railways has loaded 39 MT more this year up to December in all commodities -- a growth of around 4.5 per cent, he said.

“Despite the challenges and roadblocks, the Indian Railways made course corrections and is definitely on the right path,” Jamshed said.