Union Railways Minister asserts major freight volume growth, aiming for 3,000 million tonnes by 2030 under Mission 3000.
Despite industry concerns over slow freight loading, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reaffirmed that Mission 3000 remains on course. The initiative targets 3,000 million tonnes (mt) of railway cargo by 2030, with key infrastructure projects expected to drive significant growth.
Vaishnaw cited projects like the Sonnagar-Andal quadrupling as game changers for freight capacity. He noted that annual investments of ₹2.5 trillion are addressing past neglect in the sector. The ministry is set to surpass 1,600 mt of cargo for the first time this financial year but must nearly double this volume within five years to meet its goal.
Freight growth has slowed to 2.9 percent this year, following a downward revision of estimates to 1,635 mt. To boost efficiency, the ministry is eliminating network bottlenecks. Additionally, over ₹2,500 crore has been allocated for Delhi’s railway budget, with plans to introduce six hydrogen trains and partially non-AC Namo Bharat trains.
Source: Business Standard
