Efforts should help in increasing rail coefficient to 50%: T P Singh

New Delhi: Northern Railway general manager TP Singh on Wednesday asserted that freight movement has reduced from 85 per cent on rail at independence to 33 per cent now.

Singh was speaking at a panel discussion on the diminishing railway share in the fright movement during the International Railway Equipment Exhibition 2019, being held from October 22 to 24 here.

He said that lack of (capacity) investment in the past, flawed freight pricing policy and reduction in world crude oil prices played a major role for reduction in rail co-efficient.

He highlighted the focus on investment since 2015 and said investment has been ramped up from Rs 35,000 crore to Rs 1.27 lakh crore.

He informed that it will be increased to Rs 1.7 lakh crore. Besides, he reminded that there has been a change of freight polices in the recent past and a definite initiative towards increasing ease of doing business. He said efforts should help in increasing the rail co-efficient to 50 per cent.

The discussion was held as a part of the International Railway Equipment Exhibition which is being attended by several multinationals and foreign technology and logistic leaders who are looking to participate in way of the growth of the rail.