Vande Bharat-based freight services soon, 1st Train on Delhi-Mumbai route

Indian Railways is planning to introduce super-fast parcel services keeping in mind the objective of capturing additional high-value and time-sensitive cargoes. Special types of cargo are presently being transported through other modes of transport. The Ministry of Railways said in a statement on Thursday that “These services are being planned via new ‘Freight EMU rolling-stock built on the Vande-Bharat platform, the first rake of which is likely to be introduced into service very soon.”

Based on the interactions with some of the potential customers, the first service is being introduced between the Delhi-NCR region and the Mumbai region. “Necessary infrastructure and facilities at the identified terminals may be created in a time-bound manner, within the next three weeks,” it added.

For the successful launch of such trains, Zonal Railways are requested to identify and interact with the potential customers at the Zonal/Divisional level and to identify the terminals for running the initial services, ensure that necessary infrastructure and facilities, required to run freight EMU services, are available at the identified terminals, and decide the timetable for services in consultation with the respective Zonal Railways. Other potential routes for the running of subsequent services of Freight EMUS may also be identified in consultation with potential customers and other stakeholders and may be communicated to this office. The rate structure of freight EMU services is being worked out, and will be communicated in due course.