Gati Shakti cargo terminals attract Rs 10,000 crore private investment
New Delhi, July 23
The government's Gati Shakti Multi‑Modal Cargo Terminal policy has mobilised private investment of approximately Rs 10,000 crore.
So far, 142 GCTs have been commissioned with a rail freight handling capacity of 224 million tonnes per annum, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
In addition, in‑principle approvals have been granted for the development of another 310 GCTs. The location of the GCTs is decided on the basis of demand from industry, potential cargo traffic, availability of railway infrastructure and overall logistics potential of the area, the minister said.
The Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal policy has facilitated the development of modern multimodal cargo terminals closer to production and consumption centres, thereby improving rail connectivity for local industries, agricultural produce and other commodities.
The policy has enabled the creation of warehousing, silos, cold storage and other value‑added logistics facilities. This has enhanced the competitiveness of local industries and farmers while generating employment and promoting regional economic development.
The Gati Shakti cargo terminals cater to a wide range of commodities including cement, steel, foodgrains, fertilisers, coal, fly ash, minerals, containers, automobiles, agricultural produce and other bulk as well as non‑bulk commodities.
The policy has benefited key sectors such as cement, steel, power, mining, agriculture, logistics and manufacturing by providing improved rail connectivity and modern cargo handling infrastructure.
The development of GCTs has enhanced rail freight movement through faster and more efficient loading and unloading, reduced first‑mile and last‑mile logistics costs, improved wagon turnaround, and facilitated modal shift of freight from road to rail, thereby improving the overall efficiency and competitiveness of rail‑based logistics.
As many as 12 GCTs have been set up in Odisha, with in‑principle approvals for another 36 locations in the state. Five GCTs have been commissioned in Andhra Pradesh, with approvals for another 14 locations. Rajasthan has 10 GCTs, with approvals for 15 more.
Similarly, five GCTs have been commissioned in Madhya Pradesh, with approvals for 19 more. Bihar has five GCTs with approvals for another eight, while Karnataka has four functioning terminals with approvals for another 18 locations, the minister added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Rs 10,000 crore private investment is a big deal. But I hope the benefits actually reach the common man and small farmers, not just big corporations. Also, with 310 more terminals planned, we need to ensure environmental clearance doesn't get compromised. Progress is good, but sustainable progress is better.
Great to see states like Odisha (12 operational), Rajasthan (10), and Andhra Pradesh (5) benefiting. This will really help our agricultural produce reach markets faster. But I do feel Karnataka only has 4 while approvals for 18 more is a bit slow—hope they expedite the process. Overall, a solid step towards making India a manufacturing hub!
Finally, we're seeing real investment in rail freight infrastructure. The multimodal approach (warehousing, cold storage, silos) is a game-changer. For years, our logistics cost was way too high compared to China or the US. If executed properly, this could reduce costs by 10-15% easily. Kudos to the Railway Ministry. 👏
Impressive figures! 224 million tonnes capacity already operational. 🔥 The shift from road to rail is crucial for reducing carbon emissions. I'm curious about the "first-mile and last-mile" logistics costs they mentioned—this has been a pain point for Indian exporters for years. Hopefully, these terminals solve that bottleneck.
Good initiative, but I've seen such grand announcements before. The real test will be execution—land acquisition, timely completion, and actual usage by industries. Also, 36 in-principle approvals for
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