Indian Railways has launched a dedicated Parcel Cargo Express Train (PCET) service between Agartala in Tripura and Ludhiana in Punjab to carry goods to and from the destinations once in a week to boost trade and commerce in Northeast India. AVG Logistics secured a 6-year contract from Indian Railways for the operation of the train, which will connect Agartala (Tripura)/Guwahati (Assam)/ Delhi / Ludhiana (Punjab), completing four trips monthly for a total of 313 trips and is expected to generate Rs 198 crore revenue.
The first train from Agartala was flagged off with an initial carrying capacity of 364 tonnes, which will be increased to 484 tonnes after six months based on the volume of products. The train will cover 2,768 km in 90 hours. The collaboration aims to improve cargo transportation and increase green logistics and enhance financial strength and support future projects. The cargo train will carry tea, bamboo, plastic granules, mosquito repellent and a few FMCG products from Agartala to Ludhiana. It will bring FMCGs, cycles, hosiery products, electronics items, white goods, shoes, consumable items and sanitary items from Ludhiana-Delhi-Guwahati- Agartala.
An NFR release said the service marks a major milestone in integrating the northeastern region with broader national markets, offering new logistical opportunities to local producers, particularly in the agriculture and allied sectors. It is specifically aimed at facilitating the efficient transportation of perishable and commercial commodities to distant markets in North India.
