SECR sets up Cargo Facilitation Unit to tap into new commodities

Staff Reporter :

Though Coal is mainstay of Bilaspur Zone, it is looking to aggressively cultivate new market for minerals and other bulk transport from Central India region

Innovation is going to hold key to survival in the post lockdown market and South East Central Railway (SECR) is already planning to reach out to industries for tapping new commodities for bulk transport. As such Cargo Facilitation Unit is set-up at SECR entrusting young officers at each of the three divisions to fan out in respective jurisdiction and pitch the advantages of transporting goods through railway wagons. The unit is headed by Dr Vipain Vaishnav, Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM), Raipur. He is being assisted by two other from officers selected from Nagpur and Bilaspur Division.

Currently, Bilaspur Zone accounts for maximum receipts from transport of coal to thermal power houses over Indian Railways. However the increasing competition from rail sector and newer policy that pitches for setting-up thermal power plants near captive coal mines in future might lead to dip in the earnings on goods transportation. In that light, SECR has initiated the new policy aiming to attract other sector, particularly minerals that can provide them fresh lead in goods transportation. Said Anurag Singh, DCM, Nagpur Division, the railway is planning to aggressively engage with industry players and persuade them to partner with railways.

Agreeing with point about road sector, Singh felt that the flexibility and bargaining chip put railways up against wall but still they are determined to ring in change. So far Railways has not done aggressive marketing in other industry than coal in listing its advantages. Also when its comes to dealing with Government agencies the businesses are little apprehensive. But our aim is to attract new traffic and also facilitate paper work that industry detest so that both the railway as well as industry can benefit. During the lockdown period, Railways’ loading policy has undergone major shift in a bid to attract new commodities, like allowing two point loading and unloading of rakes, reducing distances for transport of goods, allowing half rake loading, cutting down freight cost and so on.

However much of these factors are not known to industry which is why they continue to rely on road transport. However the SECR is trying to make a difference by aggressively engaging in sales pitch of using railway rakes for faster and time bound delivery of goods across the country. In division, the railways is looking at Dolmite and Quardtzite minerals that are found abundantly in areas under division’s jurisdiction. For example Dolmite is mined around Kelod in Nagpur District, while Quardtzite mines are located near Amgaon in Gondia.

Railway officials are also looking out for new markets and commodities, particularly D-oiled cake, the waste product from extraction of soyabean, has also much demand, particularly in Bangladesh and other South Asian countries. The D-oiled cakes is used as cattle and poultry feed and Central Railway’s Nagpur Division in past was much engaged in its transportation. But over the years dwindling soyabean crop and drop in extraction mills in the area put paid to that traffic. Singh said that the Nagpur Division is also trying to cultivate UltraTech that has its cement manufacturing unit at Chacher near Mauda. While the company imports clinker, raw material, by railway wagons, the finished product is however dispatched by roadways. The market of company is within radius of 200 to 300 kms and this is the area that Railways is looking forward to tapping for generating additional revenue.