Railways clock 170 pc jump in cement cargo driven by container reforms
New Delhi, May 14
The Indian Railways has recorded a 170 per cent rise in cement movement in the last four months driven by a series of reforms in cement transportation introduced in November last year, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.
These reforms are based on innovative bulk cement tank containers for seamless end-to-end logistics.
The cement reforms were introduced to increase rail-based movement of bulk cement and encourage a shift from road transport to cleaner and more efficient rail logistics.
Railways introduced customised tank containers and bulk cement terminal policy to support multimodal handling of cement.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who reviewed the container sector reforms and their implementation on Thursday, said that the new system has made loading and unloading easier and is also reducing material loss.
Cement manufactured at one place can now move directly to consumption centres in specialised tank containers, reducing multiple handling processes and improving plant-to-market efficiency.
"Since the containers are of standard shape and compatible with Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) machines, cement reaches construction sites in ready-to-use form. This has reduced two stages of handling, leading to lower logistics cost and faster turnaround," Union Minister Vaishnaw noted.
The Union Minister also said that improved turnaround in cement logistics is bringing a silent revolution in the construction industry.
By reducing handling stages and logistics costs, the overall delivered cost of cement is expected to come down, which can translate into more affordable construction inputs. This cost efficiency is particularly significant for housing demand, as it supports the goal of making housing more affordable for the poor and middle class by easing pressure on construction costs across the value chain.
The innovative "Make in India" tank containers are designed for seamless movement from train to trailer and back to train, enabling efficient door-to-door logistics solutions. Each container supports mechanised loading and unloading, while also reducing spillage and packaging losses compared to conventional bagged cement transportation," Union Minister Vaishnaw added.
The Union Minister said the reform is also environment friendly as dust generation during loading and unloading has been significantly reduced.
The shift towards bulk movement through containers is lowering fuel consumption, reducing emissions and promoting cleaner logistics while also reducing congestion on roads.
After the success in cement transportation, Railways is now working on a similar reform for fly ash transportation.
Reviewing the sector with senior officials, Union Minister Vaishnaw urged the officials to tap the vast potential in the fly ash transportation market and convert the waste generated by thermal power plants into national wealth.
The Union Minister noted that nearly 300 million metric tonnes of fly ash is produced in the country, but only about 13 million tonnes is currently transported by Railways.
He asked officials to significantly increase Railways' share and facilitate movement of fly ash to brick kilns, cement industries and construction sites across the country.
Calling it a major "waste to wealth" opportunity, Union Minister Vaishnaw said fly ash, often treated as waste by power plants, is actually a valuable resource for road construction, cement manufacturing and brick production.
"Wider transportation and utilisation of fly ash will help reduce pollution, promote recycling of industrial waste and lower the cost of construction materials such as bricks and cement. It can also be used in several construction activities, supporting sustainable infrastructure development," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
170% jump is impressive! And the 'Make in India' tank containers are a great innovation. But I hope implementation across states remains smooth – often central policies get stuck at state level logistics. Also, fly ash transport sounds promising for reducing pollution. 🤔
The environmental benefits here are substantial – reducing road congestion and emissions through rail logistics is a smart move. I've seen similar containerized cement transport in the US and it works well. India's scale makes this a huge opportunity.
Finally some common sense in logistics! Cement in bags always had so much wastage – spillage, bags tearing, etc. This tank container system is cleaner and cheaper. And if it helps reduce housing costs for the middle class, that's a big win. 👏
Good initiative but the proof is in the pudding. Railways has announced many reforms in the past that didn't fully deliver. Let's see if this 'silent revolution' actually translates into lower cement prices for the common man. Hope it does! 🙏
The 'waste to wealth' approach for fly ash is commendable – 300 million tonnes is massive. If Railways can scale that too, it would be a game-changer for sustainable infrastructure. India is doing some really smart logistics innovation lately.
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