“We are just 5 per cent down what was on June 21, 2019. If we take June as a whole, we are about eight per cent down, from June 1 to 21 in terms of freight loading,” he said. He also said that by July, Railways would be at par and growth will be witnessed from August-September onwards.

The Minister said that as of June 21, Indian Railways moved 4,553 ‘Shramik Special’ trains, for migrant labourers, and the number is continuously reducing. “From May 31 to June 21, it has come down to double digits and on June 21, only three trains. So, the demand is over. We have sorted out all those who wanted to go back home,” the minister said.

He added that the railways has started 230 trains on regular routes, “they are not going full as people are still hesitant to travel”. Meanwhile, Railway Board Member, Traffic, P. K. Mishra at a press conference said: “During April and May freight loading was subdued due to nationwide lockdown.”