NEW DELHI - The Railways intends to focus on containerized traffic and will allow many more commodities to be carried in containers, barring coal and minerals, said Ambrish Kumar Gupta, Additional Member Traffic, Railway Board,  in a conference on ‘Last Mile Logistics’, organised by Global Knowledge Forum and the Railway Ministry here recently.

 

Railway sheds will soon be permitted to handle container traffic wherever feasible, routes limiting access to ports will be strengthened, and parcel traffic will also be opened to container train operators.

 

The Association of Container Train Operators (ACTO) whose representatives participated in the forum, however, called for lower rates, especially reduced haulage charges, to facilitate the operators carrying more cargo and providing assured traffic in order to effectively compete with road transport.