Pune: The Indian Railways has witnessed a significant rise in sugar transportation, with a 32 per cent increase compared to last year. This surge has contributed to record-breaking revenue generation, strengthening the railway’s freight business.
Freight transport remains the second-largest revenue source for Indian Railways after passenger transport, with sugar, petroleum products, automobiles, and other goods forming key components.
For the financial year 2024-25, the railways had set a freight revenue target of ₹506.80 crore. However, by February-end, it surpassed this target, earning ₹524.14 crore—₹75 crore (3.4 per cent) more than expected. Among the revenue sources, sugar transport alone contributed ₹306.41 crore, as per railway officials.
Sugar Transport Destinations and Export
Railways transport sugar primarily to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Mumbai and Kandla Port in Gujarat, from where it is exported internationally. Additionally, some of the transported sugar is supplied to northern states in India.
Consistent Growth in Sugar Freight Over Two Years
The Pune Railway Division has recorded continuous growth in sugar transportation revenue over the past two years.
In 2022-23, revenue from sugar freight stood at ₹220 crore.
In 2023-24, this increased to ₹231.56 crore, with 335 freight wagons carrying sugar.
In the current financial year (until February), the number of wagons used has risen to 442, generating ₹306.41 crore in revenue—the highest so far.
Introduction of Molasses Transport for the First Time
For the first time, Indian Railways has started transporting molasses, a byproduct of sugar production that is in high demand for liquor manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. In its initial phase, 24 wagons have been used to transport molasses, generating ₹15.15 crore in revenue.
