Indian officials have been planning to connect 27 more ports through rail connection for faster transportation of cargoes. In this regard, Indian Railways will lay around 3,000 kilometers of train lines, in a large project that will cost around US$13 billion. Presently, 29 ports, which include 12 major ports of the country, are connected with a rail network which helps faster and cost saving transportation of cargoes.
All the 12 major ports that have rail links are Chennai, Chidambaram, Cochin, Kolkata/Haldia, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Kamrajar, New Mangalore, Mormugao, Mumbai, JNPT and Deen Dayal Port Kandla.
In the recent months and years, many Indian privately-run ports, terminals operators, and ship and logistics service providers, including CMA CGM and Maersk Line, have launched block train services as rail is more reliable and time-definite to carry cargoes. Thus, the Indian government had been putting ample importance on the expansion of rail coverage across the country as well as covering all ports and terminals. Indian Railways carried 1.418 billion tons of cargoes in the fiscal year 2020-21 marking a 15% growth.
Source: container-news.com