2 weeks ago

AP Chambers Seeks Integrated Freight System to Increase Rail Share

Business leaders in Andhra Pradesh want more goods to travel by train.

They say trains are useful for large and long-distance shipments.

Small and medium-sized businesses often find rail difficult to use.

Their problems include small shipments, poor connections to railway terminals and a lack of nearby storage and container facilities.

The group wants centres that combine many small shipments into larger ones.

It also wants Mini Inland Container Depots and terminals near industrial areas.

A study by IIM Bangalore and South Central Railway is looking for goods that could move from roads to trains.

The goal is to make freight transport easier and less expensive for businesses.

Key facts

Proposal: Integrate railways, roads, ports, warehouses and Multimodal Logistics Parks.
Main barriers: Inadequate freight aggregation, weak first- and last-mile connectivity, limited rail-linked facilities and difficulty moving small consignments.
Suggested facilities: Freight aggregation centres, Mini Inland Container Depots and rail-linked freight terminals.
Potential cargo: Industrial, agricultural, containerised and export-import cargo.
Study partners: IIM Bangalore and South Central Railway.
Study focus: Identifying commodity- and corridor-wise shiftable freight and recommending infrastructure and policy measures.
Service improvements: Reliable transit times, transparent pricing, digital tracking, flexible services and stronger first- and last-mile connectivity.

deccanchronicle.com · 2 weeks ago

thehansindia.com · 2 weeks ago