Today, Sh. John Thomas, General Manager, Southern Railway conducted a virtual review meeting with the Business Development Units (BDUs) of Headquarters and the six divisions and impressed upon them to focus on increasing freight business and take measures to smoothen the process of doing business with Railways for its freight and parcel customers. The virtual meeting was attended by Additional General Manager, Principal Chief Operations Manager, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, Divisional Railway Managers of six divisions and all the members of the BDU units at Zonal and Divisional level.
- A detailed review of the marketing efforts taken by the divisions in capturing new traffic by Rail was made and discussions were held on various new proposals under consideration for increasing the freight and parcel business of Southern Railway.
- With the pro-active marketing initiatives of BDUs, Southern Railway has captured various new streams of traffic during the last three months.
- This includes limestone, Clinker, Gypsum, MOP, Harvester machines, Mosquito nets, automobiles, etc.
- A time-tabled Parcel Cargo Express train (PCET) service has commenced between Coimbatore and Patel Nagar near Delhi to facilitate timely delivery of parcels to customers.
- In the review meeting, various proposals for running some more new Parcel cargo express trains were discussed.
- After a detailed review, General Manager, Southern Railway advised all the members of the BDUs to work in close association with rail freight and parcel customers toward increasing Railway’s Freight and parcel business and adopt measures that will help in bringing about ease of doing business with Railways for its customers.
- As a part of pan-India marketing strategy, Southern Railway had formed Business Development Units (BDUs), in the month of July, at Zonal level and divisional level comprising of officers from Operating, Commercial, Accounts and Mechanical wings.
- The primary focus of these units is to bring Railways closer to Industry and Trade and as well as increase the Railway’s share in the transportation of goods in various sectors including non-bulk goods traffic.
- Besides, the BDUs will share with its Freight customers and the representatives of Industry and trade various freight incentives and schemes introduced by the Railway board and facilitate in expediting their proposals come to fruition.
Indian Railway has rolled out Freight Business Development Portal (https://www.fois.indianrail.gov.in/RailSAHAY/index.jsp) to enable the freight customers access all the required information. Help line 139 is also enabled to cater to the suggestions and complaints of both freight and parcel customers.
Recent Achievement:
During October, 2020, Southern Railway loaded 2.09 million tonnes of freight, which fetched us earnings of Rs 162.42 Crores. For the financial year, April to October, 2020, Southern Railway loaded 14.78 M.T with the earning of Rs 1,167.57 Crores.
- While several different commodities were loaded, there were some exceptions during this month.
- The first was the ever highest loading of rice and paddy in a single month, for Tamilnadu Civil Supplies Corporation(TNCSC), totalling a volume of 2.61 lakh tonnes in the month of October, 2020 .
- Similarly, during October, 2020 Southern Railway loaded 56 trains of Automobiles, which is best ever loading of automobiles in any month so far.
- More importantly these included 4 train loads of Harvesters from Chinnasalem to various destinations in Andhra and Karnataka.
- This improved performance was a result of functioning of Business Development Groups at Head Quarters and in all Divisions of SR.
- Southern Railway is the destination Railway for several essential commodities such as Fertilisers, food grain, cement, Iron and Steel and Coal.
- The combined effect of higher speeds of freight trains and quick and efficient unloading at Southern Railways terminals, has improved the availability of wagons for loading not only for Southern Railway, but also for Indian Railways.
Source: Southern Railway-Press Release | Image Credit (representational): South Eastern Railway
