India’s government think tank, NITI Aayog, will devise a road map to augment rail container freight movement to the hinterland.
It recently invited expressions of interest for a study to identify policy challenges and suggest necessary interventions to enhance the share of container movement through railways.
Total commodity volumes in the national freight ecosystem during 2026 is projected at 6,366 MT, of which container traffic is projected at 411 MT. Of these, 66 per cent of non-bulk freight moves on road and 30 per cent is being moved by rail or rail-intermodal.
The study will analyse container freight pricing methodology in Indian railways and assess container pricing models globally for identifying the factors affecting modal share, the terms of reference say.
It will also analyse private container operations and identify the critical issues and obstacles faced by the operators, like high wagon turnaround time and last-mile connectivity.
“The study will identify policy bottlenecks in railways hinterland container freight movement, provide policy level suggestions for cargo consolidation (especially parcel) and LCL cargo (Less than container load) and suggest ways to attract customers to railways for non-bulk movements,” the think tank said.
The study will suggest suitable parameters or methodology for rationalising the freight charges to improve the outcome and competitiveness of the domestic industry; will highlight issues faced by inland container depots, container freight stations and the status of terminal handling facilities; assess demand and supply of containers; and suggest ways to mitigate lack of supply of containers.
