Kolkata, September 18 (Daily Kiran) : Eastern Railway (ER) has emerged as one of the top three zonal railways in India for scrap disposal, earning ₹251.92 crore from scrap sales in the first five months of the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Officials attribute this achievement to a focused approach on identifying, processing, and disposing of scrap materials. The initiative aims to maximize benefits from surplus assets while gradually reducing the accumulation of scrap in various locations.
This success is part of ER’s ongoing “Mission Zero Scrap Balance,” which seeks to systematically identify and dispose of outdated and unnecessary materials from workshops, depots, sheds, yards, and other railway sites.
As of August 31, 2026, ER surpassed its target of ₹207.17 crore by over 21%, achieving ₹251.92 crore. This figure represents nearly 45% of the annual internal scrap sale target of ₹565 crore for the financial year. In comparison, during the same period in 2025-26, ER reported scrap sales of ₹193 crore, indicating a 30.5% increase this year.
A significant contributor to this revenue has been the disposal of old engineering and track materials. ER disposed of approximately 11,500 metric tons of condemned rail, generating ₹28.56 crore. Additionally, the disposal of around 29,055 metric tons of various ferrous scrap yielded ₹100.63 crore, while non-ferrous scrap contributed ₹53.65 crore.
The sale of condemned rolling stock also played a vital role. Over five months, ER sold 175 condemned passenger coaches for ₹31.87 crore and auctioned 310 condemned freight cars for ₹11.82 crore.
Sandeep Shukla, Principal Chief Materials Manager of ER, highlighted that this achievement results from collaborative efforts within the railway. These efforts include continuous identification of scrap, timely condemnation of obsolete assets, and transparent disposal through e-auction systems.
The scrap disposal drive is conducted across ER’s four divisions: Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol, and Malda, as well as major store depots linked to workshops in Jamalpur, Liluah, Halisahar, and Kanchrapara. Regular monitoring has accelerated the conversion of accumulated scrap into revenue.
Beyond generating significant revenue for the railway, this initiative has operational and environmental benefits. Timely disposal of scrap frees up valuable land and storage space, enhances workplace safety and housekeeping, reduces the accumulation of old materials, and facilitates the recycling of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
Shibram, ER’s Chief Public Relations Officer, stated that this milestone reflects Eastern Railway’s commitment to efficient asset management, financial prudence, and environmental sustainability. In addition to generating substantial revenue, the ongoing scrap disposal drive supports the principles of a circular economy. Eastern Railway is determined to maintain its momentum toward achieving “Mission Zero Scrap Balance.”
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