Railways will soon join billion-dollar cargo club: Suresh Prabhu

Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu yesterday exuded confidence that the national transporter will soon join the billion-dollar cargo club as it is on course to ferry 1.2 billion tonne of cargo. Noting that more than two-thirds of the revenue comes from freight, of which 50% come from coal, he said in Mumbai that there is an urgent need to diversify the freight basket, and reduce the reliance on coal. 

The



minister said by 2020 he hopes to end the waiting for capacity augmentation and also hopes to reduce congestion and significantly increase capital expenditure. Promising more transparency in the functioning of the railways, he said in the next few months, the ministry is working towards bringing paperless contracts. He said the Railways is working to put everything into public domain to ensure accountability.