Railways' Gati Shakti Terminals Drive 4-Fold Freight Revenue Surge to ₹12,608 Cr

Indian Railways has approved 306 GCTs, with a combined capacity of 192 million tonnes per annum, of which 118 have already been commissioned, while private investment of around Rs 8,600 crore has been mobilised under the GCT Policy.

A significant 2,672 million tonnes of freight has shifted from road to rail since 2014, driven by the GCTs that have played a key role in bringing India's logistics cost down to 7.97 per cent of GDP. The expansion of the rail freight operations has also saved 143.3 million tonnes of CO2, helping the country in the fight against climate change, the statement said.

The reduction in logistics costs reflects the success of sustained reforms and integrated planning, positioning the nation closer to global benchmarks. It demonstrates how coordinated infrastructure development and digital integration are reshaping the logistics landscape, making it more efficient, competitive, and future-ready, it added.

At the heart of this transformation is the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which has brought together railways, highways, ports, and airports into a unified framework. By enabling seamless multimodal connectivity, the plan aims to strengthen industry competitiveness, support initiatives such as Ease of Doing Business and Make in India, and ensure balanced regional growth. The GCTs are a key pillar of this vision, driving modern logistics solutions that will continue to enhance India's role as a global trade hub, the statement said.

A railway cargo terminal is a facility where goods are loaded, unloaded, and transferred between trains and other modes of transportation. It serves as an important hub in the logistics chain, facilitating the efficient movement of both containers and bulk goods. Earlier, without multimodal hubs like Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals, freight movement in India was scattered across road, rail, and ports. This led to delays, higher costs, and congestion. Integrated hubs are needed to connect these modes, speed up cargo handling, and lower emissions.

GCTs are the modern cargo terminals being developed and set up under the GCT Policy, 2021 of the Ministry of Railways, that integrate rail with other modes of transport.

GCTs are being developed with 'engine‑on‑load' (EOL) operations to minimise detentions and ensure optimal use of railway infrastructure. They are equipped with modern cargo‑handling facilities such as mechanised loading systems and silos, which significantly reduce handling time. The overall objective is to enhance the Indian Railways' share in total freight movement by providing faster, more efficient, and reliable freight services. This is essential as rail transport is more energy-efficient, cost-effective, and produces far lower carbon emissions compared to road transport, helping India reduce logistics costs and meet its sustainability goals, the statement added.

- IANS