The incessant rainfall in Gujarat has impeded logistics, disrupting the supply chain of textiles and machinery parts to Indore, while transit duration of commercial vehicles has been prolonged by at least two days.
The torrential downpour, which has adversely affected trade centres of Vadodara and Ahmedabad, has hindered the bidirectional movement of commercial vehicles transporting raw materials and finished goods.
Indore, a prominent hub for readymade garments and fabrics, relies heavily on the supply of textiles from Ahmedabad and Surat. In addition to fabrics, machinery components are sourced from Rajkot, while cumin seeds are procured from Unjha.
“The dispatches from Surat and Ahmedabad have been delayed due to heavy rains impacting the supply of fabrics. Fortunately, this is not a peak demand period as Raksha Bandhan recently concluded, and Navratri is still weeks away, providing a respite for garment manufacturers,” Maharaja Tukojirao Cloth Market Merchants Association member Arun Vakliwal said.
Stakeholders in textile industry have reported a delay of three-four days in the dispatch of fabrics from Gujarat.
In case of cumin seeds, supplies for local markets have been sourced from Rajasthan. “Traders have redirected their orders for cumin seeds to Rajasthan after the major trading centres in Gujarat were inundated by rains. The local market remains unaffected by rains due to abundance of supplies,” Ahilya Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Ramesh Khandelwal said.
According to transporters, the transit time to Gujarat has increased by one to two days because of the rainfall. “Although transit time has increased due to the rains, there is no complete halt in movement of vehicles. Vehicles are still travelling to and from Gujarat, albeit with a delay,” All India Motor Transport Congress (West Zone) former vice president Vijay Kalra said.