Indian Railways hits record freight tonnage as new corridors and tariff reforms expand cargo mix
Indian Railways moved a record 1,670 million tonnes of freight in 2025-26, driven by the fully operational Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors and recent tariff reforms that broadened the cargo base beyond coal.
In the 2025-26 financial year Indian Railways transported a record 1,670 million tonnes of freight, a 3.25 % increase over the previous year, and handled over 29.1 million wagons, up 4.56 %. The growth coincides with the full commissioning of the 2,843-km Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated in September, enabling faster, heavier trains and double-stack container operations on the Western line.
More than 443 trains now run daily on these corridors, boosting network throughput and reducing reliance on congested mixed-traffic routes. Complementary measures—including revised Liberalised Automatic Freight Rebate rules, extended Merry-Go-Round concessions, and a shift to per-tonne-kilometre freight pricing for several commodities—have improved rail’s cost competitiveness. The rollout of 149 Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals, five added in August, enhances first- and last-mile handling and cuts rake detention times. Together, infrastructure upgrades, policy reforms, and diversified demand for steel, fertilisers, cement and containers are expanding the freight basket and reducing dependence on coal.
Why it matters
The surge shows rail freight becoming a more efficient, diversified backbone for India's economy and a greener alternative to road transport.
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