Central Railway’s Solapur Division Records 86% Growth In Freight Loading, Earnings Surge 71% In September 2025

The Solapur Division of Central Railway has recorded exceptional growth in its freight loading performance for September 2025, marking a strong rise in both volume and revenue. The division’s performance reflects its operational efficiency, effective coordination, and focus on customer satisfaction.

Strong Growth Across Terminals and Sidings

The Solapur Division operates freight services through multiple goods sheds at Arag, Bale, Bhigvan, Dharashiv, Kurduvadi, Latur, Pandharpur, Solapur, Taj Sultanpur, Tilati, and Wadi.

It also manages sidings at ACC Cement (Wadi), Ultratech Cement (Hotgi), Chettinad Cement (Tilati), Zuari Cement (Tilati), NTPC (Hotgi), and IOCL petroleum depots at Hirenanduru and Pakni.

Additionally, the BPCL Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT) at Hirenanduru strengthens the division’s integrated logistics capabilities.

In September 2025, the division achieved 5.4 lakh metric tonnes of goods loading, compared to 2.9 lakh metric tonnes during the same month last year a growth of 86.21%.

Freight earnings rose to ₹35.99 crore, up 70.89% year-on-year, underscoring the division’s expanding freight operations and customer-oriented services.

Commodity-Wise Performance (September 2025)

Cement: 2.84 lakh metric tonnes were loaded across 96 rakes, up 27.53% in volume, generating freight earnings of ₹16.81 crore, an increase of 42.06%.

Clinker: 1.19 lakh metric tonnes were loaded across 30 rakes, marking a 100% growth in both weight and earnings, with total revenue of ₹6.60 crore.

Petroleum, Oil & Lubricants (POL): Newly introduced traffic with 31 rakes contributed ₹4.28 crore in earnings.

Jaggery: Showed strong performance with 51.42% growth in loading and 50.69% growth in freight revenue.

Ballast: Registered an earnings increase of 19.28%, supporting infrastructure projects across the region.

These figures highlight the Division’s ability to diversify its freight basket and respond efficiently to market demand.

Cumulative Growth: April–September 2025

In the first half of FY 2025–26, the Solapur Division loaded 2.91 million tonnes (MT) of goods, up 15.94% from 2.51 MT during April–September 2024. Freight earnings rose to ₹200.55 crore, driven by improved handling efficiency and better customer coordination.

The Division handled 1,010 rakes during April–September 2025 compared to 892 in the same period last year, registering a 13.23% increase in rake handling. The steady growth in freight volume highlights the Division’s operational resilience and sustained demand across key sectors.

Appeal to Local Industries

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr DCM) Shri Yogesh Patil has urged industries, factories, and traders from Solapur, Kalaburagi, Latur, Dharashiv, Sangli, and Pune particularly sugar mills and farm producers to make greater use of the railways’ freight facilities. He emphasised that railway freight transport offers cost-effective and reliable options for expanding trade nationwide.

Towards Sustainable and Efficient Freight Movement

By expanding its freight base, diversifying commodities, and offering customer-friendly logistics solutions, the Solapur Division continues to strengthen its contribution to the Central Railway’s mission of efficient, reliable, and sustainable freight movement across India.