While presenting the Rail Budget for the year 2016-17, it was announced by the Minister of Railways, Mr Suresh Prabhu, that Railways would develop/commission at least hundred freight terminals on private investment in the next 2 years. Major steps have been taken towards achieving this objective, with 45 new freight terminals inaugurated last week.
Railways’ siding policy facilitates rail connectivity and construction of private sidings at the doorstep of the party’s factory/premises. Private siding is only for end-users who own a plant/manufacturing unit or production units/mines for their exclusive use. However, one co-user is permitted with permission of Chief Operations Manager of the concerned zonal railway. To enable the terminal management to handle third-party cargo, a scheme, namely, ‘Private Freight Terminal (PFT)’ is also in existence.
The capital cost for construction of a private siding is borne by the siding owner from the take-off point to the serving station. For providing rail connectivity, railway land is provided by the Railways on prescribed lease rent.
The siding owner can opt for bearing the cost of traffic facilities (common-user facilities) that are to be normally borne by the Railways. In such cases, a fixed freight discount of 10 per cent on outward traffic only is granted for a maximum period of 10 years or till recovery of investment made by the party, whichever is earlier.
The main advantages of party’s own terminal are:
* Door-to-door transport service.
* Better control over transport need of the business.
* Reduction in multi-handling of cargo and, thereby, reduction in production cost and also damage-free transportation of cargo.
* The PFTs are managed by the logistics provider and gives them the unique opportunity for expansion of business through rail connectivity to their terminal.
Development of private freight terminals is a win-win situation for both Railways and the investor industries, emphasised a release.
In 2016-17, 45 freight terminals (i.e. 30 Private Sidings and 15 PFTs) were commissioned. These were dedicated to the nation and freight trains from three terminals, i.e. Kila Raipur in Punjab (Northern Railway), Tandur in Telangana (South Central Railway) and Khemli in Rajasthan (North Western Railway) were flagged off on April 19, 2017.
High axle load steel coil carrying rake
The Special Freight Train Operator (SFTO) scheme was introduced to increase the rail share of non-traditional commodities like CR coils, molasses, fly ash, edible oil, caustic soda, chemicals, petrochemicals, alumina and bulk cement.
Approval was granted to TM International Logistics Ltd to procure 3 rakes of BFNS wagons with 22.9 t axle load. These specially designed wagons, with V-Groove and rubber liners, are used for the movement of cold-rolled steel coils which are susceptible to damage in ordinary wagons and require special design. These wagons will have approximately 19 per cent higher payload of 64.89 t.
The BFNS rakes would be moving between TWS siding of Tata Steel on Chakradharpur Division of South Eastern Railway and TISR siding of Tata Steel on Chennai Division of Southern Railway.
For each loading, a freight rebate of 12 per cent will be granted for 20 years on the prevailing freight rate at the time of booking.
This rake shall be a winning proposition for Railways and Tata Steel in terms of assured and dedicated traffic and incremental business, the release highlighted.
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