Mysore/Mysuru: To give a push to freight traffic and enable ease of doing business, South Western Railway (SWR), Mysuru Division, has set up a Business Development Unit (BDU). 

This was set up on 2.7.2020 subsequent to the directives from Ministry of Railways (Railway Board). The focus of this multi- disciplinary unit will be to double the freight carried by Indian Railways. 

Senior Divisional Operations Manager V. Satish will head the Unit which has officers from Commercial, Mechanical and Accounts Departments as its members. The Committee will act as a nodal point for interacting with existing customers and will reach out to new customers for achieving the stated goal.  

At South Western Railway, headquarters, Hubballi, the Chief Freight Transportation Manager will be in-charge.

In this backdrop, a virtual meeting with freight customers was organised by Mysuru Division on July 8.  Major freight customers of the Division, namely JSW, Tornagallu (Iron and Steel sector) R. Praveen Chandra Co., &  Vedanta Ltd (Iron Ore sector) Heidelberg Cement (Cement Sector) and Gujarat Ambuja Exports Ltd. (Agri sector) took part in the meeting. The Convenor of BDU explained that the movement of items from the core sector — coal, cement, fertilizers — as well as food grains have been the key drivers for the growth witnessed in June and expressed confidence that stage is getting set for normal loading pattern. 

Last year Mysuru division had surpassed the target and achieved all time high loading. With this background, expectation of Division is very high.  Division is making all efforts to make good the decline in first quarter by fast-tracking indents and expediting placement of rake for loading.  The Division is also taking measures to improve facilities in Goods Sheds.  Detention has been under control and Goods rakes are being run at Maximum Permissible Speed.  

In the past one month average speed has reached 45 Kmph as against 25 Kmph earlier.  Target is to run all Goods trains at an average speed of greater than 50 Kmph with ‘Safety First Approach’.  Railways are creating enabling environment to make a shift of freight traffic from Road sector to Rail sector. 

Iron Ore customers stated that poor demand could affect their loading vis-a-vis last fiscal year. They pointed out availability of higher grade material in Odisha & Jharkhand and proximity to Vizag as an ideal alternative in comparison to Sasalu in Mysuru Division; Offering fit wagons for loading, relaxations in levy of demurrage charges, better conditions in loading points, competitive rates, supply of New Modified Goods wagons, etc. are some of issues which needs to be addressed.The Railways have said that every effort would be made to remove even minor irritants and create a very conducive environment at all loading points. Customers have been asked to put forward their genuine grievances for redressal.  Railway Board has also set up a Committee to resolve all policy issues raised by  Divisions in maximum one weeks’ time.