Cargo Centres in Railways

Under a pilot project called “Kisan Vision Project”, Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR), Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and Central Railside Warehouse Company Limited (CRWC) were asked to provide infrastructure to encourage development of facilities for setting up cold storages and temperature-controlled perishable cargo centers as well as developing agri-retail outlets through public private partnership (PPP) mode at six locations on Indian Railways.

Details of these projects are as under:-

(i) Nasik (Maharastra): The centre located in Nasik District of Maharastra is functional since 23.02.2013.

 (ii) New Azadpur (Delhi): Perishable Cargo Centre at New Azadpur, Adarsh Nagar, New Delhi has been functional since 24.03.2015.

(iii) New Jalpaiguri (West Bengal): The perishable Cargo Centre at Bagdogra airport was taken over by CONCOR on 22.02.2011 from Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) which was functional. Under the provision of agreement signed between SJDA & CONCOR, SJDA was required to obtain requisite license from State Government authorities. SJDA was not able to obtain the same and, accordingly, CONCOR intends returning the facility to SJDA.

(iv) Singur (West Bengal): The Perishable Cargo Centre was made functional on 18/12/2011. However, due to very low utilization, the service provider has abandoned the contract. Expression of interest for fresh contract for operation and maintenance of the facility has been floated.

(v) Dankuni (West Bengal): Central Railside Warehouse Company Ltd.(CRWC) has been entrusted with the responsibility of developing Perishable Cargo Centre at Dankuni. However, Eastern Railway has not been able to release requisite land at the proposed site due to presence of coal blocks, commercial plots, high tension wire and infringing road movement.

(vi) Perishable Cargo Centre at Ghazipur Ghat (Uttar Pradesh): The facility which is expected to be functional by December 2016, will have a built-up area of 1350 sq.m in Phase-I along with other ancillary facilities for storage of different types of vegetables and fruits for better shelf life.

CRWC is detailed to carry out preliminary surveys pertaining to availability of land, feasibility, layout plans etc. for construction of temperature-controlled storages at 10 other locations; viz. Vatva, Vishakhapatnam, Badagara, Udhna, Cheriyanad, Bhivandi Road, Azara, Navlur, Kalamboli and Yashwantpura. CRWC has been allowed a timeframe of two years for construction and operationalization of the warehouse complex after obtaining necessary approvals.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Manoj Sinha in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha yesterday.