Indian Railways transported 22.5% more coal in the first 18 days of October than in the same period last year, rail ministry said on Thursday. The national transporter dispatched 87 more coal rakes a day than in the same period last year as higher power demand and deficient rainfall in some regions increased the need for coal-based electricity generation. During the first half of FY27, the railways dispatched an average of 430 coal rakes a day to thermal power plants, up 7.1% from the corresponding period last year.