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Raja Simhan T. E.

Fully loaded trucks on railway flats at Sawantwadi station... The big savings in fuel and vehicle maintenance costs, apart from the shorter time taken to transport goods on rail, has made Konkan Railway Corporation's ro-ro service a success. — V. Ganesan.

recently in Margao (Goa)

KONKAN Railway Corporation's roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) service is a success, not only for the corporation but also among the truckers for whom it is intended.

Introduced in January 1999, the corporation transports loaded trucks on wagons — called flats in railway parlance — between different destinations.

Last financial year, the corporation earned Rs 7.50 crore from the ro-ro service, according to Mr D. G. Diwate, Director (Way & Works), Konkan Railway Corporation.

The service, he says, helps in an indirect saving in fuel cost, and reduces vehicle operating costs in terms of wear and tear of tyres and vehicle maintenance.

The service is available between Kolad, about 145 km south of Mumbai in Maharashtra's Raigad district, and Verna, in Goa. The ro-ro service saves a 430-km stretch of travel to Goa from Verna on the national highway.

The truck drivers need not drive on the ghat section. The time taken to transport the wagons on rail is less than 12 hours while the transit time by road is much more.

By using the ro-ro service, transporters use the same fleet of trucks for more number of trips. The service also ensures on-time, intact cargo delivery, free of any risk factor and free from multiple handling of consignments, says Mr Diwate.

According to him, the ro-ro service was launched when the corporation did not have enough freight traffic. One service is being operated daily in both directions and each train carries up to 28 trucks.

"The response has been overwhelming and now truck operators need to book in advance to use the facility," Mr Diwate said.

The trucks mostly carry building materials, including marble, cement and iron rods. Truck operators get to optimise fleet utilisation and achieve faster turnaround, he adds.

For a two-axle truck (up to 25 tonnes gross weight), the transportation cost from Kolad to Verna is Rs 5,100 and for a three-axle vehicle, it is Rs 7,650. For every additional tonne, the cost is Rs 200. In the return direction, the cost is Rs 4,800 and Rs 7,200. The corporation plans to move containers in a similar manner, according to Mr Diwate.

The corporation's suggestion to other railway zones to introduce the ro-ro service across the country has received lukewarm response.

"We have written to all the zones suggesting a similar service. However, the response was very poor," Mr Diwate said.

At the national level, the ro-ro service would help conserve diesel, decongest national highways and reduce pollution levels along the route, he said. KRC also offered to run the service in other zones, he said.

Apart from the difficulties associated with driving on a ghat sections, truck drivers often consume alcohol and even take drugs while driving on these roads.

This is not the case when the trucks are being transported on the ro-ro train, says Sanjay Yadav, a truck driver, who has been using Konkan Railway's service since its commissioning.

There is not much of difference in the freight between the ro-ro service and transportation by road, he says.

A team of Chennai-based journalists, on a visit to Konkan railway projects recently, saw truck drivers playing cards while their vehicles were parked on the flats at Sawantwadi railway station, about 80 km from Margao, in Goa. Some were sleeping inside the vehicles while others relaxed by listening to film music.

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