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In a first, South Western Railway uses AC coaches to transport cargo
Total 18 AC 2 and 3-tier coaches were used to transport 163 tonnes of chocolate and noodles from Vasco in Goa to Delhi's Okhla.
Just days after the Northern Railway, for the first time, used air-conditioned coaches to transport cargo such as chocolate and snacks, the south-western division of the Indian Railways followed suit, using AC coaches built at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) to carry boxes containing chocolate and other food products, the national transporter informed.
Also Read | Railways runs first AC-parcel train using passenger coaches; transports Maggi, chocolates
“Innovative approach: For the first time, Southern Railway used idle AC 2-tier and 3-tier coaches for Reefer Express of chocolate. This timetabled parcel express of 18 AC coaches, carrying 163 tonnes, left Vasco (in Goa) to Okhla, Delhi,” the Ministry of Railways said in a tweet on October 8.
“This was a consignment of AVG Logistics, which was transported by the Hubballi division. Indian Railways is proactively reaching out to customers to utilise rail services as these are faster, smoother, and cost-effective,” the South Western Railway noted in its statement, citing Divisional Railway Manager Arvind Malkhede.
The Business Development Unit (BDU) of the Hubballi division helped Railways utilise this new stream of traffic, which is being used in place of the traditional method of transportation via roads.
Overall, the 2115 kilometer journey, which began on Friday and ended on Saturday, brought a revenue of ₹12.83 lakh to the Railways.
Meanwhile, the AC parcel train used by the Northern Railway operated between Sanehwal in the Ferozpur division in Punjab and Yeshwantpur in Karnataka.
(With ANI inputs)
