Date:27/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/27/stories/2007072754021100.htm

National

Crores expected to flow into container operation

Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI: An investment to the tune of Rs.10,000 crore was expected to flow into the Railways container operation sector in the next two years for wagons, logistics parks and Inland Container Depots (ICDs).

K.C. Jena, Member Staff, Railway Board, said the rail container policy requires the development of new ICDs and multi-modal logistics parks. This was because the new container train entrants would need to have access to rail-linked ICDs or develop their own ICDs within next three years. Mr. Jena was speaking at a conference on ‘Privatisation of Container Transportation by Rail – Issues and Options’ held here.

Mr. Jena, who is also the National Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport –India (CILT) said the overall exercise was likely to make logistics in India more effective to enable growth of physical trade and economy and optimise the cost of supply chains and transactions.

It would also facilitate moving towards a system of multi-modalism based on co-existence of rail and road modes in the transport sector in the economy to optimise fuel costs, control pollution, and minimise wasteful investment, he added.

Consensus

The conference, attended by about 150 delegates from all over the country and abroad, had a focused approach and was able to bring about a consensus between the representatives of the container transport industries and the Government on various issues.

The CILT is a worldwide organisation of professional transportation, set up to promote the study of the art and science of transport in all its modes such as road, rail, shipping, civil aviation and pipelines.