M&M to export 100-plus tractors to B’desh from CR’s Ajni Goods Depot
| Date :13-Oct-2020 |
By Sagar Mohod :
Nagpur Division set sight on long haul with focus on synergising Railway deep reach and attractive fare
Central Railway's Nagpur Division is set to notch-up yet another first as it is set for export of 100 plus tractors from its Ajni Goods Depot for Bangladesh. This is the first instance wherein tractors are being exported from city utilising railway facility. The first rake carrying tractors from Mahindra&Mahindra's plant at MIDC, Hingna, would set out for Benapole, the border outpost of Bangladesh, on Tuesday, confirmed Krishnath Patil, Sr. Divisional Commercial Manager, to The Hitavada.
Since last few months the marketing team of division made most of the lockdown period as there was not much pressure of long distance trains, they were suspended due to lockdown. The ample time was fully utilised to pitch the advantages of newly opened goods depot at Ajni, the site was earlier with CONCOR and hence it was well developed. The old war horses in Commercial Branch renewed their contacts and impressed upon M&M bosses the advantage of utilising railway goods facilities for transport of tractors. Patil said that since lockdown their concentration increased on marketing railway facilities and bagging rights for long lead for transportation of goods and the efforts are now paying off. The search is on for new goods apart from traditional movement of coal that is bread and butter for the Railways. However given the compacting rates for coal transport, Railways is increasingly tapping commercial traffic that hitherto the mainstay of road sector.
Therefore during lockdown, Railways rationalised its freight rates, provided flexibility in combining rakes, entrusting more room for negotiations and maneuver to field units as focus shifted on tapping goods in a major way. M&M has inked a pact with Central Railway to utilise the Ajni Goods Depot for all their future shipment of tractors to Bangaldesh and within the country. A rake of 20 New Modified Goods (NMG), they are specially developed by Indian Railways for transportation of automobiles, is going to be deployed at Ajni for the loading the tractors, about five unit on each bogie.
The main advantage over road transport, the earlier preferred mode for M&M, is assured time period of reaching across the border, about 30 hours maximum, and almost nil damage to goods, Patil stated further. The first rake with tractors to Bangladesh is going to fetch handsome Rs. 16 lakhs in revenue to railways. Compared to road transport this freight cost is quite reasonable and results in savings for M&M who jumped on board when the pitch was made by marketing team of Commercial Branch. Thereafter, senior railway officials joined the negotiations and firmed-up the deal with M&M team that got clearance from its Mumbai headquarters.