SWRs Bengaluru division offers vehicle manufacturers reliable means to move end product

Responding positively to the challenges posed by the global pandemic in generating new business, the business development unit (BDU) of the Bengaluru division of Hubballi headquartered South Western Railway (SWR) has stepped in to move cargo that hitherto was transported predominantly by road. The BDU has been successful in its persistent efforts with the logistics partner in transporting 400 Kia vehicles from Penukonda to Farrukhnagar, Gurugram in Haryana.

The division has loaded four rakes so far in May 2021, and the fifth rake in the offing to transport these SUVs of KIA Motors India to its destination that is over a distance of 2209km. Each rake can carry 100 cars/vehicles in 25 New Modified Goods (NMG) wagons that are used for the transport of cars. Each wagon, which was earlier passenger coaches have been modified for goods transportation purposes and can carry three to four cars depending on their size, SWR authorities maintain. 

Each rake has fetched a revenue of Rs 19 lakh to the Railways and move to transport one more rake by the end of the current Month consisting of two-wheelers, tillers, tractors will take the total revenue earnings for the month from this business to Rs 95 lakh. IVC Logistics is the logistics partner of the Bengaluru division in this endeavour. Railways is emerging as the preferred mode of transport of vehicles due to safety, swift transport and smooth handling of the consignment.

Bengaluru division incidentally during FY 2020-21 had operated 189 trains that transported such high-value cargo. With the economy down and the normal means of transporting such goods by road posing its own challenges, vehicle manufacturers are looking at the Railways, an SWR official maintained. “We did not have suitable wagons for these types of goods earlier and these NMG wagons have addressed this constraint,” the official said, adding it offers a safer and viable mode of transport.

This post has been published in arrangement with Jaideep J Shenoy