Facing shortfall in freight loading, Railways on Tuesday rationalised coal tariff by reducing the rate for long-distance transportation and increasing it for a short distance while imposing a coal terminal surcharge of ₹110 per tonne at loading and unloading for a distance beyond 100 km.
"We have rationalised the rate by changing the distance slabs for coal transportation after discussing it with Coal Ministry. The new coal loading rate effective from Tuesday will be less by 4 per cent to 13 per cent for coal transportation beyond 700 km," Railway Board Member (Traffic) Mohd Jamshed told PTI.
However, he said the rate has been hiked by 7 per cent to 13 per cent for transportation between a 200 km and 700 km distance.
There will be no change for transportation up to 200 km.
As per the new rate, coal loading would cost ₹712 per tonne for transportation up to 497 km now as against ₹702. It will be ₹2,138 per tonne for 1,807 km transportation now as against the existing rate of ₹2,348.
Coal loading witnessed a decline in the last four months. While the coal loading target was 200 million tonnes for the April-July period, Railways has carried only 177 MT during this period.
"The aim is to increase the coal loading volume so we have reduced the rate for the long distance transportation," Mr Jamshed said, adding, "Coal rakes are lying idle so there is a need for rate rationalisation."
Describing the move as "revenue neutral", he said, "We will be losing about ₹700 crore in a year for the concession being given to the long distance transportation. But we are expecting to gain the same amount through an increase in the volume and also from the hike in the short distance transportation."
He said the levy of coal terminal surcharge at the rate of ₹55 per tonne at both loading and unloading terminals would be applicable for the distance beyond 100 km.
