Kolkata, 19 September (H.S.): Eastern Railway (ER) has emerged as one of the top three zonal railways in the country in terms of scrap disposal. Through the sale of scrap, ER has generated a substantial revenue of Rs 251.92 crore during the first five months of the financial year 2026-27. According to officials, this success is the result of the regular identification of obsolete materials, continuous monitoring, and a transparent disposal process.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the railway noted that this achievement is a key part of ER’s 'Mission Zero Scrap Balance' campaign, which aims to systematically dispose of obsolete and unserviceable materials lying across workshops, depots, sheds, yards, and other railway premises. Against a proportionate target of Rs 207.17 crore set up to August 31, 2026, ER collected Rs 251.92 crore, exceeding the target by more than 21 percent. Furthermore, this figure represents approximately 45 percent of the total annual target of Rs 565 crore for the current financial year. Compared to the Rs 193 crore collected during the corresponding period last year, this year marks a significant 30.5 percent increase in revenue.

The largest contribution to this revenue collection came from the sale of obsolete engineering and track materials. Eastern Railway disposed of approximately 11,500 metric tonnes of condemned rails, fetching Rs 28.56 crore. Additionally, around 29,055 metric tonnes of miscellaneous ferrous scrap generated Rs 100.63 crore, while non-ferrous scrap contributed Rs 53.65 crore.

The auction of condemned rolling stock also yielded considerable income. Over the past five months, the disposal of 175 condemned passenger coaches brought in Rs 31.87 crore, and the auction of 310 freight wagons generated Rs 11.82 crore.

Sandeep Shukla, Principal Chief Materials Manager of Eastern Railway, stated that this milestone was made possible through coordinated efforts, timely identification of scrap, and a transparent disposal mechanism via the electronic auction system. The extensive drive was carried out across ER’s four divisions—Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol, and Malda—as well as major workshops and store depots located in Jamalpur, Liluah, Halisahar, and Kanchrapara.

Shibram Majhi, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of ER, highlighted that the scrap disposal campaign not only generates non-fare revenue for the railways but also frees up valuable railway land and storage space. This initiative improves workplace safety and cleanliness while actively promoting the recycling of metals. He affirmed that Eastern Railway will maintain this momentum to fully realize the objective of 'Mission Zero Scrap Balance'.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh