Lok Sabha Question No. 1299 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-14
Subject: Increase in Freight Transport
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Manne Srinivas Reddy, Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy, Y. S. Avinash Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1299 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.12.2022

## INCEREASE IN FREIGHT TRANSPORT

1299. SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY: SHRI KOMATI REDDY VENKAT REDDY: SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether with a view to attract more cargo to the Railways, the Government increased its modal share in freight transportation thereby reducing logistics cost of the industry;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  move  is  also  expected  to  speed  up  plans  for divestment of 30.8% in Container Corporation of India Ltd.;
- (d) if so, whether the policy also provides for use of railway land to set up solar plants at a nominal cost and encourages development of social infrastructure; and
- (e) if so, the details and the present status thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (e)  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House .

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1299 BY SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY, SHRI KOMATI REDDY VENKAT REDDY, SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 14.12.2022 REGARDING INCREASE IN FREIGHT TRANSPORT

- (a) & (b) Yes, Sir. The National Rail Plan envisages that the share of freight traffic by rail should go up from current share of 27% to 45% by 2030.  The  construction  of  Dedicated  Freight  Corridors  (DFCs)  on  the important high density route is an important policy measure by Indian Railways to arrest the trend of falling market share of railways in the country  and  also  will  shift  the  advantage  in  favour  of  rail  transport. DFC operation  will  bring-in  efficiency  in  freight  operation  and  enable rail tariff being more competitive because of its following operational/design features:
-  Higher throughput per wagon and per train: Run Heavy Haul trains with overall load of 13000 tonne.
-  Lower Energy Consumption: Reduce Operation and Maintenances Costs
-  Reduction in Transit  time:  Reduce  logistic  cost  of  transportation and better utilization of Rolling stock

Moreover Indian Railway has taken number of multi-pronged strategy to  increase  its  model  share  in  freight  segment  which  includes  tariff rationalization  and  Tariff/freight  incentive  schemes  which  includes; diversification of freight basket, Liberalised Automatic Freight Rebate Scheme  in  Traditional  Empty  Flow  Directions,  Rationalization  of

Station  to  station  rates  policy,  Rationalization  of  Merry-Go-  Round, Concession in short Lead Traffic, Discount in freight to fly ash traffic booked in Open/flat Stock & covered wagons, Round trip charging for ultra  short  lead  (upto  50Kms)  container  traffic,  Round  Trip  Traffic (RTT)  Policy,  Automobile  Freight  Train  Operator  Scheme  (AFTO), Introduction  of  Cube  Container  for  two  wheeler  traffic.  A  New  'Gati Shakti  Multi-  Modal  Cargo  Terminal  (GCT)'  policy  has  also  been launched to facilitate development of cargo terminals on non Railway land, as well as on Railway land (partially or fully) etc.

In  addition,  various  other  schemes  have  also  been  introduced  to attract private investment in General Purpose Wagons, Special Purpose/High Capacity wagons and Automobile carrier wagons etc. The divestment of CONCOR to the extent of 30.8% is based on on 20.11.2019 which is an independent activity and without any relation

- (c) the cabinet committee on Economic Affair(CCEA) approval to para (a) above.

(d)  &  (e)  The  Master  Circular  on  'Policy  for  Management  of  Railway Land'  issued  on  04.10.2022  permits  setting  up  of  Renewable  power plants for exclusive use of Railways for a lease period of upto 35 years @ ₹ 1/- per square meter (sqm) per annum. Further, it permits Hospitals selected through a transparent policy and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan  for  a  lease  period  of  upto  60  years  @ ₹ 1/-  per  square meter(sqm) per annum.

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