New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS): Indian Railways Thursday reported an increase of 14.72 percent in its revenue from transporting freight during July, which stood at Rs.7,909.35 crore from Rs.6,894.61 crore earned during the corresponding period of last fiscal.

Financial year-till date the revenues rose by 9.30 percent in carrying commodity freight of about 357.58 million tonnes during April-July 2014 which stood at Rs.32,451.31 crore.

The railways had transported 343 million tonnes of goods worth Rs.29,690.16 crore in the corresponding month of last fiscal.

The total traffic in the period under review increased by 4.25 percent at 357.58 million tonnes than 343 million tonnes carried during the corresponding period of last fiscal.

According to the railways, out of the total earnings of Rs.7,909.35 crore during the month under review Rs.3,471.90 crore came from transporting coal, followed by Rs. 626.06 crore from carrying iron ore for exports, steel plants and for other domestic user, used services worth Rs.747.92 crore for ferrying cement.

Other commodities included food grains, petroleum oil and lubricant (POL), pig iron and finished steel and fertilisers.

The cash-strapped railways heavy depends upon freight revenues for meeting its operational expenses as passenger tariffs are still subsidised by the government.