In a logistics milestone, Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), in collaboration with iWare Supplychain Services Ltd., is set to dispatch India’s first-ever rail shipment of Bitumen using a BCN rake from the Central Warehouse – RWC Gandhidham to Salchapra, Silchar. The historic dispatch is scheduled for today, marking a breakthrough in the movement of Bitumen by rail and opening a more economical, efficient and environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional road transport.
What is Bitumen?
Bitumen is a petroleum-derived material extensively used in road construction, especially for asphalt production. Owing to its heavy, viscous nature, Bitumen requires specialised storage, handling, and loading systems—factors that have traditionally restricted its movement by road. With infrastructure upgrades and enhanced operational readiness at CWC’s RWC Gandhidham, these complexities have now been resolved, enabling rail-based transport of Bitumen from the region for the first time.
A Landmark Dispatch to the Northeast
Under the first phase of this initiative, around 2,000 MT of Bitumen will be transported to Salchapra, Silchar in Assam. The movement forms part of the fast-expanding rail logistics solutions jointly developed by CWC and iWare. It follows the successful rollout of the Green Channel Cargo Service on the Gandhidham–Delhi route, and the new Gandhidham–Guwahati corridor extension is expected to significantly strengthen long-distance cargo connectivity to the Northeast.
CWC, together with its key customer iWare Supplychain Services Ltd., reiterated its commitment to expanding multimodal logistics capabilities. By facilitating faster, safer and greener cargo movement, the partnership aims to support India’s growing industrial supply chains and advance the nation’s push toward sustainable logistics.