Indian Railways gives boost to freight transportation across the country

October 22, 2020 Rail News

Indian Railways performing as backbone of the country’s logistic sector. Indian Railways carry more than 1.2 Billion tonnes of freight traffic every year over a network of 68000 kms. With the rail network touching almost every nook and corner of the country, IR playing a crucial role in facilitating a balanced and all inclusive socio-economic development of the country. IR freight traffic includes almost all commodities including bulk commodities like Coal, Iron ore, Iron & Steel, Food grains, Cement, Petroleum products, Fertilizer and other commodities carried in containers.

  • With the continuous endeavor for reducing carbon foot print, Railways has emerged as the most environment friendly mood in land transportation. 
  • For providing best services to the customers, the team of IR is committed towards competitive rates and timely delivery of cargo.
  • Eastern Railway has also joined the team IR with extreme dedication towards customers’ satisfaction for attaining better competitive ability and emerges as the principal transporter of the region under ER network. 
  • Business Development Units (BDUs) are formed at Headquarters as well as Divisional level. 
  • ER BDUs are interacting with the freight customers for getting feedback and implementing the suggestions received from the freight customers for better customer satisfaction and increasing the volume of freight business. 
  • The average speed of freight trains in ER has increased to 65.48 kmph in October, 2020 ( upto 9.10.2020). 
  • The sustained increase in average speed of freight trains has enabled ER  to transport freight consignment in time bound manner and also increased the availability of wagons, resulting in even better customer satisfaction.

Freight Business Development portal:

Indian Railways has been taking multifarious efforts to boost freight and Parcel traffic, aimed to serve the freight customer, better. For this, the newly launched Freight Business Development (FBD) Portal by Indian Railways will render a one stop solution for freight/Parcel customers.

  • With more than 4000 Freight Terminals served by more than 3,00,000 wagons, hauled by more than 12,500 Locomotives, carrying 1667 types of Commodities, Indian Railways, are the backbone of logistics sector of the country and is certainly the Lifeline of the Nation, carrying more than 1.2 Billion tonnes of freight traffic every year over 68000 km of Rail network.
  • With its very wide network touching almost every nook and corner of the country, Indian Railways plays a crucial role in facilitating a balanced and inclusive socio economic development of the country, carrying almost all commodities including bulk commodities like Coal, Iron ore, Iron & Steel, Food grains, Cement, Petroleum products, Fertilizer, containers and others.
  • During the recent Covid Lockdown, Indian Railways played a crucial role in Freight movement getting essential commodities across long distances and ensuring the availability of food grains and essential items.
  • With more than 4,000 registered customers and with 1300 E-Payment Customers, Indian Railways has emerged as the most friendly mode of land transportation, especially for freight and cargo as Indian Railway with the recently introduced advance parcel booking and Time tabled trains, has ensured the most competitive means for transportation and timely delivery of cargo.

Features of Freight Business Development (FBD) Portal:

  • Center for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) has developed a Freight Business Development (FBD) Portal. 
  • The FBD has been specially designed and developed with a Customer First Philosophy and helps in familiarizing new freight customers with Indian Railways Freight Business. 
  • The Portal presents a bouquet of Information o­n IR Freight Business organised in simple and easy access links.
  • The FBD portal also provides enhanced features for existing customers including GIS based Track & Trace and provision to contact Railways with their concerns. 
  • The site  provides a channel to the potential freight customers to reach railway officials and seek their assistance in transporting their goods by railways. 
  • The portal has been designed and developed with myriad features including Information Freight Calculator, GIS based tracking of Consignments, Terminal Dashboard, Details o­n Freight incentive schemes, Own-a-terminal & Own-a-Wagon scheme and process details, and rich FAQs updated regularly, to name a few.

Source: Eastern Railway-Press Release | Image Credit: MoR