Rail Freight Loading Up 5.4% in August 2026; Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals Reach 149

1
Indian Railways loaded 137.9 million tonnes of freight in August 2026, up 5.4% from 130.9 MT in August 2025; freight revenue rose 6.27%.
2
Five Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals were commissioned, taking the total to 149 as on 31 August 2026.
3
Fourteen Amrit Bharat services were regularised, taking the total to 86; passengers carried rose to 67.27 crore.

●Freight loading, August 2026: 137.9 MT vs 130.9 MT (August 2025) - up 5.4%; revenue up 6.27%.
●Fastest-growing commodities: iron ore +12.1%, clinker +10.4%, domestic container +9.2%, coal +6%.
●New GCTs: Shivlakha (Gujarat), Nalli (Tamil Nadu), Shaktinagar (UP), Deoragram (MP), Brajrajnagar (Odisha) - total 149.
●GCT Policy: Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal policy of the Ministry of Railways, launched 15 December 2021.
●PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan: launched 13 October 2021; GIS-based platform built by BISAG-N.
●Amrit Bharat Express: non-AC LHB push-pull trains; first flagged off by PM Modi at Ayodhya on 30 December 2023. 14 regularised in August 2026, total 86.
●Passengers: 67.27 crore (vs 64.43 crore); suburban 38.01 crore, up 9.02%.

Exam Relevance

railway

General Awareness > Indian Railways > Schemes and Initiatives

Previously Asked (PYQs)

SSC CGL 2024

According to the Indian Railways (2019-2020), which state has the largest railway track in India?

Answer: Uttar Pradesh

UPSC Prelims 2015

With reference to bio-toilets used by the Indian Railways, consider the following statements: 1. The decomposition of human waste in the bio-toilets is initiated by a fungal inoculum. 2. Ammonia and water vapour are the only end products in this decomposition which are released into the atmosphere. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: Neither 1 nor 2

Expected Questions

★When was the Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal policy launched, and which ministry runs it?

Key Terms

Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal (GCT)

Rail freight terminal under the Railways' 2021 GCT policy, integrating rail with road, ports and waterways.

Push-pull

Locomotives at both ends of a train - the Amrit Bharat configuration - for faster acceleration.

priority_highMust Remember

•August 2026 freight: 137.9 MT, +5.4%; GCTs total 149.
•GCT Policy: 15 December 2021; PM Gati Shakti NMP: 13 October 2021.
•First Amrit Bharat Express: 30 December 2023, Ayodhya.

tips_and_updatesExam Tips

•Keep the two Gati Shakti dates apart: the master plan (October 2021) came before the Railways' cargo terminal policy (December 2021).

Question 1 of 2Score: 0/0

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Rail Freight Loading Up 5.4% in August 2026; Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals Reach 149

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Exam Relevance

Previously Asked (PYQs)

Expected Questions

Key Terms

priority_highMust Remember

tips_and_updatesExam Tips

Practice Quiz

The Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT) policy, under which 149 terminals had been commissioned by August 2026, was launched in:

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