UPDATED: Indian Railways’ First Timetabled ‘Cargo Express’ to Start on Hyderabad-Delhi Route

UPDATED: Average speed of 50 kph, to take 34 hours instead of 40 hrs as mentioned earlier

South Central has come with a unique concept of starting a ‘Cargo Express’, a timetabled freight train.

The train is being started from Sanath Nagar in Hyderabad to Adarsh Nagar in New Delhi starting from 05^th August 2020.  SCR will operate this service as a pilot project. The train will run once a week every Wednesday.

The pilot project will run for six months from August.

Salient features of Cargo Express special trains:

1. For the first time in nearly four decades, to aid the small and medium sized customers, Indian Railways is permitting wagon level indenting, i.e. customers having even one wagon material of 60 tonnes approximately can book their cargo on this train.

• This train will run as per the scheduled departure and arrival timings and days at both ends.  The transit time to cover a distance of around 1700 kms between Sanath Nagar in Hyderabad to Adarsh Nagar in New Delhi away is just 34 hours. Thus, completing the journey at an average of 50 km/h.

• The train departs every Wednesday evening from Hyderabad and reaches Delhi on Friday morning.

• The average freight tariff from Hyderabad to Delhi and vice-versa is Rs. 2,500/- per tonne, depending on the type of commodity loaded.  It is almost 40% lesser than charges applicable by Road and also the existing railway parcel tariff.

• The Cargo Express can be tracked on FOIS on real time basis.

• The Loading / unloading facility is also available at both Sanath Nagar (Hyderabad) and Adarsh Nagar (Delhi) Goods Sheds at competitive rates.

Generally, it is seen that only those commodities are being moved by freight trains which are bulk in nature and require transportation of huge quantity by a single train by the customers. 

Moreover, all these freight trains are generally loaded with a single commodity. However, with the gradual increase in the market for transportation on non-bulk commodity segments, it is imperative that Railways take steps to attract this segment of traffic as well (apart from what is being already carried by Parcel trains.

Accordingly, a unique concept of aggregating this general cargo in to a single train is planned which could be mutually beneficial to both Railways as well the freight customers. 

Because, not only is transportation by the Railways one of the safest modes of transportation, it is also cost-effective compared to other modes of transport as well.

Shri Gajanan Mallya, General Manager stated that South Central Railway has always been a step forward in introducing customer friendly initiatives for the freight segment and introduction of Cargo Express will further strengthen these initiatives. 

He said that the concept will be particularly beneficial to agriculture producers, traders, cargo movers, small and medium/ mini plant owners who will be able to move their cargo in record transit time at very low tariffs.

Further, since both the Originating and Destination stations nominated are Major cities, it would be beneficial to a huge number of customers in and around these cities.