TIRUCHI
The railways has set up a business development unit in Tiruchi Division towards attracting more freight traffic.
The unit has been set up as per the directions of Railway Board to sustain the focus on increasing the freight business. Similar units are being set up at all Divisions over Southern Railway. The focus of these units is to double the freight carried by Railways by 2024, and in particular, explore ways to attract non-bulk goods traffic which is now being moved by road.
Ajay Kumar, Divisional Railway Manager, Tiruchi, approved setting up of a multi disciplinary business development unit at the divisional level comprising junior administrative grade officers from all relevant fields.
M. Boopathiraja, Senior Divisional Operations Manager, would be the convener of the unit which will have Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Senior Divisional Finance Manager and Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer as members.
The unit will have regular interaction with both existing and new customers to appraise them of all the new initiatives and the transportation benefits offered by the railways.
The unit will also serve as a nodal point to facilitate industry and trade representatives as well as rail freight customers to get in touch with Railways and expedite clearances for freight movement.
The Tiruchi Division has been making continuous efforts to move essential commodities post the nation-wide lockdown enforced to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
In the first quarter of the current financial year 2020-21 (April to June), the division has moved 3,11,967 tonnes of food grains to various destinations. It has also loaded 18,20,507 tonnes of Coal, 48,252 tonnes of cement, 57,287 tonnes of fertilizers, 12,145 tonnes of iron ore and 12,487 tonnes of other commodities, a railway press release said.