The Ministry of Railways has recently initiated an innovative approach to enhance and promote its freight services through the launch of a new, specialized digital portal. Specifically designed to develop the railways’ freight industry, the Freight Business Development Portal is a major breakthrough in railway logistics. The strategic move comes at a time when passenger train services have been suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in heavy dependence on freight revenues.
Background Information
Owing to the rapid spread of the coronavirus crisis, passenger train services have been put on hold. Consequently, the railway sector has been heavily reliant on revenue from the freight business as a primary source of earnings.
Under the supervision of the Ministry of Railways, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) is involved in the construction of eastern and western freight corridors, stretching over a distance of 3,342 kilometers. The purpose these corridors serve is solely for the movement of goods trains, thereby maintaining the continual flow of the freight business.
Elevating the Freight Business: The Portal Overview
As the first-ever dedicated freight portal, this unique web-based platform provides various benefits. It caters primarily to customer needs, helping to lower costs for logistics providers, offering suppliers an online tracking feature, and simplifying the process of shipping goods.
In response to the global health crisis, the portal was developed with the objective of transitioning from offline, physical processes to online ones. By doing so, it minimizes the necessity for face-to-face interaction, effectively reducing the risk of virus transmission.
A Focus on Ease and Transparency
The portal focuses on ease of doing business and maintaining transparency. A massive leap towards digitizing the freight business, the portal encourages professional support and a more streamlined mode of carrying out operations.
With a customer base of over 9,000 freight users and more than 4,000 freight terminals, the portal has invited various stakeholders, such as aggregators, truckers, warehouse owners, and labour providers, to offer their services.
Conclusion
Overall, the Freight Business Development Portal is a digital revolution in the railway logistics sector, contributing significantly to India’s freight business. Not only does it provide a solution to the current crisis, but it also paves the way for future advancements in this field.
