The Hindu Business Line : Rail container operators seek annual haulage charge revision

The Railway Ministry is likely to accept a suggestion made by the private container train operators that the haulage charge payable to the Railways should be revised only annually. This would enable the new container train operators to offer an annualised rate for moving export/import cargoes to their customers.

This was one of the suggestions made by the operators at a meeting with senior Railways officials recently. While some of the suggestions were accepted, the rest would be put before the Ministry for approval. "We are likely to have a final meeting before the licence agreements are signed," an industry representative said.

Summing it up, Mr Prem Kishan Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director, Gateway Rail Freight Pvt Ltd (GRFPL), a subsidiary of Gateway Distriparks Ltd (GDL), said, "The Railways had displayed a positive attitude towards our suggestion."

Private participation

So far, 14 operators have got the licence to operate container trains after this sector, which was handled by state-owned Container Corporation of India, was thrown open to private participation.

In another suggestion, the private operators felt that the Railways should pay some penalty for any delay in supply of locomotives. Other suggestions dealt with working schedules, parking charges and penalty for delay in running the trains.

Talks for new rakes

With the Railway Ministry close to inking the final licence agreements for rail container movement, the operators have begun to negotiate with manufacturers of wagons for supply of new rakes. "We have received proposals from domestic wagon manufacturers and we plan to place orders shortly. We plan to have 30 rakes within 30 months — that is one rake a month. Each rake will have a carrying capacity of 90 TEUs," Mr Gupta said.

GRFPL, which expects to have its first rake within nine months, will be investing Rs 350 crore for the 30 trains within a period of 30 months. The company has moved 500 TEUs of export-import cargoes from its Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Gurgao, after the first train was flagged off in May. "We became the first private sector player to enter the container train business. Since, then, we have handled six trains carrying containers from JNPT," Mr Gupta said.

More ICDs likely

The company plans to set up two more ICDs, in Haryana and Punjab, within the next 12 months. It has already acquired 50 acres in Faridabad district for its second ICD, which will be on electric railway route connecting JNPT to North India.

GDL net up 15.8 pc

GDL reported a 15.8 per cent rise in its net profit for the first quarter of the current fiscal at Rs 19.75 crore against Rs 17.06 crore in the corresponding quarter of last fiscal. During the quarter, its income grew by 14.4 per cent at Rs 41.09 crore (Rs 35.93 crore).

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