The Indian Railways has approved a trial of Roll-On Roll-Off service for goods transporters on the Bengaluru-Solapur route between Nelamangala near Bengaluru and Bale in Solapur district.
The service is expected to cost Rs. 2,700 per ton for a round trip, exclusive of taxes. IR has chosen not to levy busy season or development surcharges as of now.
Since this is a trial run, one Ro-Ro rake has been leased from Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd for a round trip.
What is Ro-Ro?
A Ro-Ro service enables transporters to drive loaded trucks directly on to flatbed rail wagons at a designated siding. The trucks and their payloads are then transported by rail to the destination siding. The crews then drive their trucks off the wagons and head towards their destinations.
Ro-Ro Benefits
Ro-Ro services benefit transporters in several ways. Trucks save on wear and tear, maintenance and fuel costs as well as highway toll charges and toll gate delays.
Loading a truck directly onto the wagon also saves time and labour costs that would otherwise be incurred on transhipment between trucks and trains. According to Konkan Railway, loading times are as low as 15-20 minutes. Truck crew fatigue is also greatly reduced, thus lowering the chances of accidents and delays.
Konkan Railway Ro-Ro Services Complete 20 Years
Ro-Ro services are not new to the Indian Railways’ network. Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) has operated a Ro-Ro service since 1999. As of now, KRCL operates Ro-Ro services between several points on the Konkan Railway route between Mumbai and Mangalore as well as to Karambelli in Gujarat via Western Railway.
Starting from a single rake in 1999, KRCL operates six Ro-Ro rakes today. However, KRCL is now facing a decline in Ro-Ro revenues due to tough competition from an improved road network and cheaper maritime services.
Western Railway also launched a Ro-Ro service between Karambeli in Gujarat and KRCL’s network in late 2018.
Video courtesy: Dheeraj Rao
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