PIB News Update: Ministry of Railways organised a Third Edition of Conference on Wagon Development for New Commodities. The objective of the conference was to evolve innovative solutions for transportation challenges in the automobile, steel, cement, food-grain and other special commodities segments and to chart out a roadmap to exploit the market potential in freight segment for the Indian Railways. The attempt is to find workable solutions to transportation challenges pertaining to Railways by involving major stakeholders in freight operations.
Inaugurating the Conference, Member (Rolling Stock), Railway Board, Shri Rajesh Agrawal said the aim is that 45 percent of total freight movement in the country should be by rail. He said that once the Dedicated Freight Corridors become a reality, there would be substantial increase in the speed of freight movement by the Railways. He complimented RDSO for fast implementation of new designs of freight wagons. Other Members of Railway Board, senior officials from Railways, RDSO, CONCOR and Industry Representatives were present.
Based on the discussion with various stake holders in the last conference, five designs were identified for wagon development. With a specific timeline and focused approach, the designing time for the wagons has reduced from one and half year to six months. Follow up to the earlier conferences also facilitated meaningful interaction between Indian Railways and stakeholders.