GUWAHATI: Indian Railways has taken a novel initiative to provide support to farmers who produce perishable items, by transporting their produce through Refrigerated Parcel Vans (RPV).
New design of Refrigerated Parcel Vans (with carrying capacity of 17 tonnes) for transportation of highly perishable parcel traffic was developed and produced at Rail Coach Factory Kapurthala. At present, Indian Railway has a fleet of nine (09) Refrigerated Parcel Vans available for transportation of perishable items. These Refrigerated Parcel Vans are booked on round-trip basis, and are charged at 1.5 times the freight of normal parcel van as per category of train.
Indian Railways has also constructed cold storage facilities for perishables items at various locations and depending on demand more such facilities will come up in different locations. Presently ‘Temperature controlled perishable cargo centres’ have been commissioned at Ghazipur Ghat (U.P), New Azadpur (Adarsh Nagar, Delhi) and Raja ka Talab (U.P) as a pilot project under Kisan Vision Project by CONCOR under CSR initiative. Another project is under construction at Lasalgaon, Nasik (Maharashtra). Approval has been granted to Central Railside Warehousing Corporation (CRWC) to develop temperature controlled storages at Fatuha and Mancheswar.
Cold storage facility has also been developed at Dadri. Fresh & Healthy Enterprise Ltd. (FHEL) has been redeveloped as Agriculture Logistic Center at Rai, Sonepat. This facility is CONCOR’s 100% own subsidiary developed in an area of 16.40 acres of land.
Moreover, 98 Ventilated Insulated Containers (Carrying capacity 12 Tonnes per container) called Reefer (Ventilated Insulated) Rail Containers have been procured, through CONCOR, for movement of perishable parcel traffic like fruits and vegetables to different parts of the country. At present 80 such containers are being transported together in a single rake. Such rakes are very much helpful for export of fruits and similar items. Recently Guntakal Division has loaded Bananas, for export to Middle East countries, in a Refrigerated (Reefer) Container train which has provided a big earning opportunity for banana producers of that area.
