SCR starts perishable goods transportation

​Hyderabad: The South Central Railway (SCR) has started its activities the Train Service Parcel Van (VPU) segment. The Railways has introduced the VPU of 23 tonnes of perishable goods between Hyderabad and Shalimar (Kolkata), here on Thursday.

The service is provided on the trains of Hyderabad-Howrah-Hyderabad and East Coast Express (Train Nos 18646/18645), which run between Hyderabad and Kolkata. The perishable commodities that be loaded on these trains include agriculture produce, fish and eggs, among others.

The decision to encourage the transportation of perishable goods by utilizing the train luggage capacity made in a recent review meeting where the SCR, General Manager Ravindra Gupta urged the commercial wing to formulate strategies to encourage the transportation of the perishable commodities including agriculture, poultry products.

With freight revenues falling in core verticals such as iron ore, cement and coal, the SCR is looking to offset the losses with the improved performance in parcel van segment. A senior official on condition of anonymity said, “The fall in freight revenues is a major cause of concern and Telangana has huge potential to transport perishable goods to other states.

The SCR has enough rake capacity to cater to the demand and we are working every possible way to capture the market.” He further added, “The transport of 23 tonnes of perishable goods is a beginning and would only increase in time to come. The introduction of the new VPU service is to target the perishable traffic from the twin cities and Vijayawada towards Kolkata.”

The Hans India had carried a report ‘Railways aims at egg freight’ on February 9 about the potential of exports of poultry products from Telangana to north, east and northeastern parts of the country. According to some estimates, about 1.5 crore table eggs are being transported to Uttar Pradesh every day by road transport. The egg transportation is a segment that the SCR has not been able to tap so far.

Multiple handling requirements, porters’ inability handle delicate goods, lack last mile connectivity and lack daily trains to certain cities are some of the reasons that put off the egg transportation through the rail transportation.