NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, OCT 1
Indian Railways has been taking slew of measures to boost freight and Parcel traffic since the beginning of Covid-19 lockdown on March 24, 2020, aiming to to give one stop solution for freight/parcel customers. To ease the freight transport further, the Indian Railway has launched an exclusive Freight Business Development (FBD) portal to aid the Business Development Units operating across all the zones and divisions.
The Railways has more than 4000 Freight Terminals served by more than 3,00,000 wagons, hauled by more than 12,500 Locomotives, carrying 1667 types of Commodities, Indian Railways, are the backbone of logistics sector of the country and is certainly, the Lifeline of the Nation, carrying more than 1.2 Billion tonnes of freight traffic every year over 68000 km of Rail network.
The largest transporter of the country with its wide network touching almost every nook and corner of the country, Indian Railways plays a crucial role in facilitating a balanced and inclusive socio-economic development of the country, carrying almost all commodities including bulk commodities like Coal, Iron ore, Iron & Steel, Food grains, Cement, Petroleum products, Fertilizer, containers and others.
During the recent Covid Lockdown, Indian Railways played a crucial role in Freight movement reaching out essential commodities across long distances and ensuring the availability of food grains and essential items to common man.
With more than 4,000 registered customers and with 1300 E-Payment Customers, Indian Railways has emerged as the most friendly mode of land transportation, especially for freight and cargo as Indian Railway with the recently introduced advance parcel booking and Time tabled trains, has ensured the most competitive means for transportation and timely delivery of cargo.
Special Features of Freight Business Development (FBD) Portal
Center for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) has developed a Freight Business Development (FBD) Portal. The FBD has been specially designed and developed with a Customer First Philosophy and helps in familiarizing new freight customers with Indian Railways Freight Business. The Portal presents a bouquet of Information on IR Freight Business organised in simple and easy access links.
The FBD portal also provides enhanced features for existing customers including GIS based Track & Trace and provision to contact Railways with their concerns. The site provides a channel to the potential freight customers to reach railway officials and seek their assistance in transporting their goods by railways.
The portal has been designed and developed with myriad features including Information such as – Freight Calculator, GIS based tracking of Consignments, Terminal Dashboard, Details on Freight incentive schemes, Own-a-terminal & Own-a-Wagon scheme and process details, and rich FAQs updated regularly.
The Freight Business Development Portal can be accessed directly at
https://www.fois.indianrail.gov.in/RailSAHAY/index.jsp
The FBD portal can also be reached through “Freight Business” option available under the new ‘Freight Services’ feature added in the top menu bar of http//www.indianrailways.gov.in
Business Development Units (BDUs) of Southern Railway
Southern Railway’s Business Development Units (BDUs) are playing a crucial role in redefining customers’ experience. Significantly, the BDUs, through active liaison with customers and logistic providers have given a renewed impetus to freight and Parcel business attracting new streams of traffic.
Loading of Gypsum from Kamarajar Port, Steel from Chennai Port, Automobile traffic from Walajahbad Auto hub, Road Railer traffic from Melpakkam, Edible Oil from Panambur and BCACBM rakes are among the new streams of traffic captured by Southern Railway BDUs through intensive canvassing with customers.
For hassle-free facilitation of freight/parcel proposals, Southern Railway has also extended the services of Helpline 139 to address the grievances/queries of freight and parcel customers, a release from Southern Railway CPRO said.
