Chennai, Jan 26 : Southern Railway is in line with loading 41 million ton of goods this fiscal, eight per cent higher than that of the previous fiscal, said General Manager R. N. Singh. Speaking at the Republic Day function after unfurling the tricolor at the Railway Stadium here, Singh said: "During 2023-24, up to date, Southern Railway has achieved gross revenue of Rs 9,482 crore, which is five per cent higher than the corresponding period last year. In Passenger sector, we have registered a positive growth of eight per cent revenue." Continuing further, he said Southern Railway has loaded 32.24 million ton goods till date in 2023-24 and earned Rs 2,912 crore registering 8.2 per cent growth as against 29.801 million ton in 2022-2023. "With the present trend of loading, Southern Railway is likely to achieve 41 million ton for the year 2023-24, which will be eight per cent more than the last year's loading,' Singh said. As regards the passenger trains, he said the Southern Railway has achieved the target of 90% punctuality. This despite an increase in the originating passenger traffic by 13 per cent during the current year -578 million passengers as against 515 Million passengers during last year, Singh said. According to Singh, Southern Railway has introduced seven pairs of Vande Bharat trains across Southern Railway running at maximum speed of 130 kmph. "During festival season, we have operated about 90 Vande Bharat special trains over and above the regular ones. Southern Railway has run 56 Bharat Gaurav pilgrimage trains with modern LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches and converted 17 trains with LHB coaches during the year 2023 which have potential to run at a maximum speed of 130 kmph for reduction in travel time," Singh said. On the modernisation and redevelopment of important railway stations Singh said works are progressing at fast pace at 13 stations namely Egmore, Katpadi, Puducherry, Madurai, Rameswaram, Kanniyakumari, Ernakulam Jn, Ernakulam Town, Kollam, Kozhikode and Varkala Sivagiri stations. "Under the new policy, modernisation and upgradation of stations under "Amrit Station Scheme" is going on at 93 stations in Southern Railway and Phase I works have been planned for completion by March 24 for most of the stations,' Singh said. Southern Railways has earned Rs.317.62 crore from scrap disposal this fiscal. Speaking about the performance of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) Singh said during 2023-24, about 600 offenders were arrested with the recovery of railway property of Rs.48 lakh and about 400 offenders were arrested with recovery of passenger belongings worth Rs.1.20 crore. The RPF Team has also rescued about 1,215 runaway children and handed them over to the concerned civil authorities. "Hawala money and gold/silver valued about Rs15 crore were seized with the arrest of 43 persons. A total of 307 persons were arrested for possession of contraband articles like tobacco/liquor valued at Rs.15 crore. About 70,000 offenders were arrested under various sections of the Railways Act. With the swift action of RPF, the lives of 27 were saved from death,' Singh said. /IANS