A new rail wagon design policy in India will enter into force in July. As a result, industries will be able to design their own wagons. India is hoping that this will help make rail more attractive, and therefore lead to a modal shift.
India’s strengthened pursuit of a modal shift comes as Indian Railways is approaching a near-full electrification of its rail network. Rail transportation will help reduce India’s dependence on imported diesel, says the national rail ministry.
To reach that goal, Indian Railways is now looking to rolling stock for opportunities to move more freight onto the tracks. The company has recently achieved successes through the development of “specialised wagons for commodities such as cement and salt”. The conclusion: it is important to design wagons in accordance with industries’ operational requirements.
New policy
Starting July, those industries can take matters into their own hands. They will be allowed to “design wagons according to their specific requirements.” The responsibility for ensuring wagon safety will remain with national authorities.
India is hoping that commodity-specific wagons will improve loading, unloading and transportation efficiency, which the abovementioned cement and salt wagons demonstrated earlier.
“This reform will promote innovation in wagon development and strengthen the freight transport system of Indian Railways”, the Indian Ministry of Railways writes. “By providing commodity-specific transport solutions, Indian Railways aims to attract new freight streams, enhance customer convenience, and significantly increase the rail share in the national logistics sector.”