Patna: East Central Railway (ECR) has reported its highest-ever revenue of Rs 30,330 crore for the financial year 2025–26, marking a significant milestone for the zone and placing it among the top three revenue-generating zones in Indian Railways.
The figures were shared by general manager Chhatrasal Singh at a press briefing in Patna, where he said the performance reflected “strong operational efficiency and rising passenger trust” in the network.
Passenger traffic also saw a sharp rise during the year, with around 25.3 crore people travelling on ECR services. Passenger earnings crossed Rs 5,000 crore, supported by increased ticket sales as well as growth in ancillary income from catering and other services.
Freight operations remained a key driver of overall performance. The zone transported 203.42 million tonnes of goods, marking the second consecutive year in which it has crossed the 200-million-tonne threshold. ECR has now placed itself among the country’s top four railway zones in freight handling. Within the zone, the Dhanbad division ranked first nationally in freight performance, while Samastipur division led in unloading volumes.
The railway also expanded its passenger network significantly during the year, introducing 45 pairs of new trains, including services such as Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat Express. In addition, 20 pairs of trains had their routes extended to improve connectivity in remote regions.
Officials said the new services particularly benefited parts of the Kosi region, improving links to stations such as Laukaha Bazar, Lalitgram and Raghupur, while also strengthening connectivity towards border areas with Nepal.
On the infrastructure and safety front, the railways said work under “Mission Raftar” is progressing, with speed trials on the Delhi–Howrah corridor reportedly reaching 160–180 km/h. The rollout of the indigenous Kavach train protection system is also underway across sections of the network.
During the festive season, ECR operated 14,559 special train trips to manage passenger demand and reduce congestion, officials said.
Railway authorities said further expansion of services and infrastructure upgrades are planned in the coming years as part of efforts to improve speed, safety and connectivity across the zone.
