Lok Sabha Question No. 2952 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Waiver of Empty Container Haulage Charges
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri G Lakshminarayana

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2952

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025

## WAIVER OF EMPTY CONTAINER HAULAGE CHARGES

## 2952. SHRI G LAKSHMINARAYANA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  all  categories  of  cargo  for  which  empty  container haulage  charges  are  currently  waived  including  the  reasons  for such waiver, time period for which it has been in effect and the financial cost to the Government, division and route-wise;
- (b) the quantity of horticultural crops, specifically bananas, transported  via  rail  from  the  Tadipatri  cluster  to  ports/other destinations  along  with  the  number  of  rakes  and  frequency  of service;
- (c) whether  the  possibility of waiving empty  container haulage charges  for  banana  reefer  containers  returning  to  the  Tadipatri cluster has  been  considered  and if so, the details thereof including the proposed timeline for implementation;
- (d) if not, the reasons for not considering such a waiver; and
- (e) the measures considered/being considered to make rail transport economically viable for perishable commodities like bananas and to encourage their export via rail instead of road?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (e)  The  freight  charges  for  transportation  of  commodities  in

containers are determined by Container Train Operators (CTOs) based on  market  conditions,  while  Indian  Railways  levies  only  the  haulage charges for movement of containers. Further, with a view to enhancing the rail  modal share  in  containerized transportation and promoting an environmentally sustainable logistics, certain concessions are provided to  traffic  from  identified  areas  or  clusters  to  various  destinations  in haulage  of  empty  container-laden  rakes.  Accordingly,  the  following incentives have been introduced to make rail haulage more competitive and to facilitate faster repositioning of empty containers:

-  A 50% discount on haulage rate on movement of empty containersladen  rakes  returning  to  Morbi  clusters  (originating  loading  cluster) after transportation of Tiles traffic from destinations, implemented on 'pilot basis' up to end of FY 2025-26.
-  A  50% discount  on  haulage  rate  of  movement  of  empty  specialized
- tank containers used for Bulk cement, effective from 04.12.2025.
-  A  25%  discount  on  haulage  rate  of  movement  of  empty  containerladen rakes returning to the originating loading point after transporting Chemical Gypsum on 'pilot basis' for a period of one year with effect from 26.11.2025.

During  last  5  years,  24  rakes  of  Banana  traffic  in  Reefer  containers (Refrigerated containers) from Tadipatri to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) were transported.

In order to facilitate the transportation of agriculture products, Indian

Railway has taken various measures such as:

-  Power has been delegated to Zonal Railways to reduce the composition of Parcel Rakes for  transportation  of mixed perishables

- goods traffic including fruits and vegetables up to 15 Parcel vans plus 1 SLR instead of standard composition of 20 Parcel vans plus 1 SLR.
-  Further, Orange, Mango and Banana traffic when moved in BCN/BCNA/BCX/BCXN  Rakes  are  charged  at  concessional  Parcel Rates (Scale-P minus 50%).

Potential circuits for movement of vegetables, fruits and other perishables are identified in consultation with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Agriculture / Animal Husbandry/ Fisheries Departments  of  State  Governments  as  well  as  local  bodies  and agencies, Mandis etc., and Kisan Rail service are planned on the basis of demands placed taking into consideration and operational feasibility.

Since the launch of Kisan Rail  services  on  7 th   August  2020,  Railways have operated around 2364 Kisan Rail services, transporting approximately 7.9 Lakh tones of perishables.

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