Freight Business Development Portal: Railways | 06 Jan 2021

Why in News

The Ministry of Railways has launched an exclusive portal to promote and develop the railways’ freight business - Freight Business Development Portal.

Key Points

  • Background:
    • With passenger train services suspended due to the coronavirus crisis, the railways is banking heavily on freight revenues for its earnings.
    • The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL), a government enterprise under the administrative control of the Ministry of Railways, is carrying out the construction of 3,342-km eastern and western freight corridors for exclusive movement of goods trains.
  • About the Portal:
    • This first of its kind dedicated Freight portal will ensure that all operations stay customer centric, reduce the costs for logistics providers, provide online tracking facility for suppliers and also simplify the process of goods transportation.
    • The aim is to replace physical processes with online ones to minimize the need of human to human interaction.
    • The portal has a focus on ease of doing business and to bring more transparency and to provide professional support.
    • The Railways has also invited aggregators, truckers, warehouse owners and labour providers to offer their services to its more than 9,000 freight customers at over 4,000 freight terminals.

Source: PIB