Gross Traffic Receipts by Indian Railways from 2017 to 2025

The total gross traffic receipts by the Indian Railway show a compelling growth story, albeit with some significant disruptions. Starting from ₹178,725 crores in FY 2017-18, the revenue is projected to reach ₹278,100 crores in FY 2024-25 (BE), representing a remarkable 55.6% increase over this eight-year period. However, this growth hasn’t been linear and reveals several interesting patterns. The data clearly demonstrates the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in FY 2020-21, when total receipts dropped to ₹140,571 crores, a sharp 19.4% decline from the pre-pandemic level of ₹174,357 crores in FY 2019-20. The passenger coaching segment was particularly hard hit, plummeting to ₹15,248 crores in FY 2020-21 from ₹50,669 crores in the previous year – a staggering 70% reduction. However, the recovery has been remarkable. In FY 2021-22, the total receipts not only recovered but exceeded pre-pandemic levels, reaching ₹191,206 crores. This strong recovery continued, with receipts growing to ₹239,983 crores in FY 2022-23 and ₹255,273 crores in FY 2023-24. Passenger Coaching Revenue has shown impressive growth post-pandemic. From the low of ₹15,248 crores in FY 2020-21, it rebounded to ₹70,693 crores in FY 2023-24 and is projected to reach ₹80,000 crores in FY 2024-25 (BE). This suggests increasing passenger confidence and demand for rail travel. Other Coaching and Goods segments have maintained steady growth trajectories. Starting from ₹4,314 crores in FY 2017-18, both segments are projected to reach ₹7,500 crores in FY 2024-25 (BE), showing consistent development in freight and auxiliary services. Other Earnings have also shown interesting fluctuations. After declining from ₹8,688 crores in FY 2017-18 to ₹5,863 crores in FY 2019-20, this segment has shown steady growth and is expected to reach ₹10,500 crores in FY 2024-25 (BE). This suggests successful diversification of revenue streams. The Suspense Account shows relatively small values but interesting patterns, fluctuating between negative and positive figures. This suggests ongoing adjustments in accounting practices and temporary allocations. The projection of ₹100 crores for FY 2024-25 (BE) indicates an expected positive balance in temporary transactions. The budgetary estimates for FY 2024-25 are optimistic across all segments, with total receipts expected to grow by 8.9% from FY 2023-24. This suggests confidence in continued economic recovery and increased railway utilization. The projected figures indicate a balanced growth across segments, with particular emphasis on passenger services and other earnings.