Early Times Report
NEW DELHI, Apr 8: Railways account for 28 to 30 per cent of freight movement, which is significantly lower than global benchmarks, indicating substantial headroom for growth, according to a joint report released by the industry body, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), and business consultancy firm ASCELA.
The report, titled "Future Ready Railways for Viksit Bharat," added that as India targets 3,000 million tonnes of freight capacity by 2030, the sector is witnessing accelerated transformation, driven by initiatives such as Dedicated Freight Corridors and near-complete electrification, enhancing both efficiency and sustainability.
It further emphasised the need to increase rail's modal share through capacity augmentation, expansion of Dedicated Freight Corridors, enhanced private participation, and improved last-mile connectivity.
It also underlined the importance of reducing logistics costs -- currently at 7.97 per cent of GDP -- by leveraging railways as a more cost-efficient and sustainable mode of transport, which is critical to strengthening India's global competitiveness.
"ASSOCHAM-ASCELA presented the report at a national conference held on Wednesday in New Delhi, bringing together senior policymakers, industry leaders, and sector experts to deliberate on the evolving role of Indian Railways in driving economic growth and logistics transformation," a press note from ASSOCHAM said. |
