Russia-based FESCO Transportation Group dispatched 53 container trains from Vladivostok in one week. In particular, 49 railway trains departed from the Commercial Port of Vladivostok (CPV) and the remaining four began from rear container terminals in Vladivostok.

The total loading of the box trains was more than 7,000 TEUs. Moreover, the dispatch of four trains was organised using the technology of combined trains, which helps to unload the railway junction of Vladivostok.

The transmission of 53 container trains is a record for FESCO, with the previous one set in December 2022, when the company moved 50 container trains with 6,800 TEUs from Vladivostok in one week.

KAZAKHSTAN Railways (KTZ) reports that freight traffic on its network set a new record of over 252 billion tonne-km in 2022, up 5.2% on the year before. Over the last 20 years the amount of freight carried by KTZ has doubled.

KTZ says that the new record was due to “a change in logistics,” an increase in the distance that consignments were moved and a rise in the quantity of mining and metallurgical products being shipped for export.

Freight traffic between Kazakhstan and China also set a new record of 23 million tonnes in 2022, up 14% from 2021. Export traffic from Kazakhstan increased by 13% and imports by 9% year on year.

To meet increased demand, KTZ says that a feasibility study is now being developed for the construction of third railway between the two countries, running from Ayagoz in Kazakhstan to Bakhty near the Chinese border.

Of the 250 million tonnes of freight carried by KTZ in 2022, hard coal accounted for 106.6 million tonnes, an increase of 600,000 tonnes on the year before. Domestic coal traffic amounted to 74.4 million tonnes.

In 2022 grain traffic reached a total of 10 million tonnes, 12% up on the year before. Export grain traffic was up 18% at 8 million tonnes. KTZ carried 3 million tonnes of milled products, up 20% on 2021.

During the last three months of 2022, KTZ had to contend with a sharp increase in demand for grain transport when a record 1.5 million tonnes of grain equivalent were carried. This was due to the imposition of export quotas on wheat and flour between April and September.

The Railways will start a Gati Shakti Express Cargo service for delivery of goods. The special train for this purpose will be called the Rail Post Gati Shakti Express. This will be a joint project of the Indian Railways and India Post. The project aims to provide door-to-door parcel service for common Indian residents.

Under the joint parcel project (JPP), Indian Railways has partnered with Indian Postal services for door step collection and delivery of cargo. Thus the last mile delivery services will be taken up by Indian Post. Indian Railways will move these Gati Shakti cargo on a timetabled basis using semi-high speed trains. In order to attract cargo to this service, as an initial offer, Indian Railways is offering a 20% discount as compared to the road fairs for moving cargo. More details on the project will be announced during the budget 2023.

The National Rail Plan envisages that the share of freight traffic by rail should go up from current share of 27% to 45% by 2030. The construction of Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) on the important high-density route is an important policy measure by Indian Railways to arrest the trend of falling market share of railways in the country and also will shift the advantage in favour of rail transport. DFC operation will bring-in efficiency in freight operation and enable rail tariff being more competitive because of its following operational/design features:

• Higher throughput per wagon and per train: Run Heavy Haul trains with overall load of 13000 tonne.
• Lower Energy Consumption: Reduce Operation and Maintenances Costs
• Reduction in Transit time: Reduce logistic cost of transportation and better utilization of Rolling stock

Moreover Indian Railway has taken number of multi-pronged strategy to increase its model share in freight segment which includes tariff rationalization and Tariff/freight incentive schemes which includes; diversification of freight basket, Liberalised Automatic Freight Rebate Scheme in Traditional Empty Flow Directions, Rationalization of Station to station rates policy, Rationalization of Merry-Go- Round, Concession in short Lead Traffic, Discount in freight to fly ash traffic booked in Open/flat Stock & covered wagons, Round trip charging for ultra-short lead (upto 50Kms) container traffic, Round Trip Traffic (RTT) Policy, Automobile Freight Train Operator Scheme (AFTO),  Introduction of Cube Container for two wheeler traffic. A New ‘Gati Shakti Multi- Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT)’ policy has also been launched to facilitate development of cargo terminals on non-Railway land, as well as on Railway land (partially or fully) etc.

In addition, various other schemes have also been introduced to attract private investment in General Purpose Wagons, Special Purpose/High-Capacity wagons and Automobile carrier wagons etc.

The divestment of CONCOR to the extent of 30.8% is based on the cabinet committee on Economic Affair (CCEA) approval on 20.11.2019 which is an independent activity and without any relation to para (a) above.

The Master Circular on “Policy for Management of Railway Land” issued on 04.10.2022 permits setting up of Renewable power plants for exclusive use of Railways for a lease period of upto 35 years @ ₹1/- per square meter (sqm) per annum. Further, it permits Hospitals selected through a transparent policy and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan for a lease period of upto 60 years @₹1/- per square meter(sqm) per annum.

This information was given by the Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronic & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

This is being done to intensify a crackdown on ‘indent mafia’ that corners availability of wagons in advance and profiteers from the scarcity, government said.

The Indian Railways has tightened control over Bangladesh-bound rail freight by mandating that any entity that books a wagon headed for the neighbouring country specify the commodity being transported, said officials.

This is being done to intensify a crackdown on ‘indent mafia’ that corners availability of wagons in advance and profiteers from the scarcity, they said.

An indent is a booking demand raised by a customer seeking to use the railway wagons for transporting commodities.

Earlier this year, the railways had made submission of a letter of credit (LC) while booking an indent compulsory. Details of the LC are fed on the Freight Operations Information System of the Indian Railways. These include information such as LC number, date of issue and expiry, name of bank and beneficiary, tonnage moved by any other mode of transport on the same LC.

Under the revised guidelines, an indent can be placed after feeding in the commodity that will be transported and the route.

The first coal-loaded freight rake was flagged off from Pakur siding on Monday for Ropar Thermal Power Plant in Punjab. With this, the first Gati Shakti Cargo terminal of the Eastern Railway at Pakur came into life. Loading of freight rakes at this terminal was discontinued since April 1, 2015.

This much-awaited movement will fetch ₹1.2 crore Railway revenue per rake with an expected 4-rake loading per day. Earlier, coal rake from Pakur was loaded through joint collaboration of PANEM. The PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd.) Authority assured local people that the company will provide employment for the villagers and arrange for a development programme through CSR.

It will, therefore, provide job opportunities to the local people through various means like deployment as skilled or unskilled labours, supply of vehicles, and another mode from time to time.

Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal Policy was recently launched by the Prime Minister and is expected to be a game changer in the field of traffic transportation in terms of improving speed and mobility, reducing logistic costs, and enhancing capacity. In compliance with the proliferation of the newly implemented Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal Policy adopted by Indian Railways, Eastern Railway’s Howrah Division has started the operation of its first Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal at Pakur.