Railways to set up logistics parks along rail lines

New Delhi: With the aim of increasing freight traffic volume and enhance the presence of Railways in the overall transport chain, the department is finalising a plan to set up logistics parks along rail lines.

The Railways have invited expression of interest (EOI) seeking involvement of state governments and private players for setting up the parks.

“The objective is to set up rail-based inter-modal traffic-handling facility complex comprising warehouses, banking and office space facilities for smooth and faster movement of freight,” said a senior rail ministry official.

Container terminals, bulk cargo terminals and cold chain facilities will be part of the proposed parks. With the launching of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project, one of the flagship projects of the Railways, a number of industrial nodes are also being planned as part of the related initiative by the government such as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor along the western corridor of the DFC.

These parks would provide state-of-the-art integrated logistics facilities with mechanised handling and intelligent inventory management at select locations to reduce the overall logistics cost in the supply chain for customers.

According to the initial plan, there would be seven logistic parks. They would leverage the modern, efficient, high-capacity rail connectivity of the DFC and will be capable of meeting time-sensitive freight transportation, the official added.