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The South Western Railway (SWR) transported a record 14 million tonnes of essential freight, including cement, coal, iron ore, and fertilisers from April to July of this fiscal, a zonal official said on Sunday.

"We loaded 13.96 million tonnes of freight from April to July in this fiscal (2021-22) against 10.26 million tonnes in the corresponding 4 months of last fiscal (2020-21), registering 36 per cent growth, with 3.7 million tonnes more load," said SWR official Aneesh Hegde from Hubballi.

Of the total freight transported in the last 4 months, 5.83 million tonnes were iron ore against 3.05 million tonnes last fiscal, registering 91 per cent growth.

The zonal railway transported 2.95 million tonnes of coal against 2.8 million tonnes in the same period a year ago, registering 5.4 per cent growth.

"We loaded 2,30,000 tonnes of cement against 1,20,000 tonnes in the like period a year ago, registering 84 per cent growth," said Hegde.

The goods train shipped 2,20,000 tonnes of fertilisers in the first 4 months of this fiscal against 1,80,000 tonnes in the same period a year ago, registering 22 per cent growth.

"In spite of challenging circumstances due to the Covid outbreak since March 2020, wheels of the Railways keep on moving, as we are committed to ensure essential freight across the country," said Hegde.

The zonal railway also carries raw materials for steel plants food-grains, mineral oil and containers.

Meanwhile, Railway Safety Commissioner A.K. Rai inspected the 33.16 km newly electrified track between Alnavar and Londa in the state's north-west region, which is a part of Hospate-Hubballi-Vasco Da Gama project, being executed by the state-run Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL).

"Electrification of the route will improve mobility of trains in the zone and strengthen rail network in Karnataka. Besides reduction in pollution, efficiency will improve due to shift from fossil fuel to electricity," said the zonal railway in a statement from Hubballi.