PM Modi launches first auto in-plant Railway siding

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 13-03-2024

PM Modi launches first auto in-plant Railway siding

Transport 5 min read

Automobile Maruti Suzuki has launched India's first in-plant railway siding project at its Hansalpur plant in Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on 12 March 2024 through video conferencing.

Suzuki Motor Gujarat Private Limited is a subsidiary of Maruti Suzuki India Limited. Maruti has invested a total of more than Rs 300 crore on this.

What will be the benefit?

With the opening of this plant, Maruti-Suzuki will now be able to send its cars to different parts of the country by train instead of by road. Whereas it can be sent to different countries through ports.
3 lakh cars annually from Hansalpur plant in Gujarat will now be supplied through goods trains. The annual production capacity of this plant is 7.50 lakh units.
This will reduce congestion on the road. Because a truck travels on an average of 1,600 km and a train replaces 40 such trucks.

Objective of In Plant Railway Siding Project:

The objective of this scheme under 'Gati Shakti' programme is to reduce carbon emissions.
- Reducing fossil fuel use
- Reducing road congestion

Total cost of the project:

This project has been developed at a cost of Rs 976 crore. It has been developed under the Centre's PM Gati Shakti Mission in partnership with the Government of Gujarat, Indian Railways and MSIL.
According to Rahul Bharti, Executive Officer, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, how the Gati Shakti program will transform logistics operations.
These can be transported away from factories to railways and then to different cities of India and later to ships.
This is the first time in India that there has been an in-plant railway siding for an automobile company. This is the Gati Shakti programme par excellence.
The project eliminates 50,000 truck trips annually for MSIL.
The project will save 50,000 truck trips, 35 million liters of fuel used in trucks per year. Will reduce carbon emissions by 1,650 tonnes per year.
Logistics is a good way to reduce carbon emissions which will help the country achieve carbon neutrality.

Railway Sliding Capacity:

The sliding railway has the capacity to handle 3,00,000 cars per year. It currently has a parking capacity of 800 cars which can be expanded to 3,000 cars.
Till February, Maruti Suzuki has sent about 18 lakh cars through railways. During the current financial year till February, 4.09 lakh cars have been dispatched by the Railways.

Project Deadline:

G-Ride gave its formal approval in March 2017. After which the internal board of the company approved it in January 2019 and construction started in May 2020.

PM Modi's visit to DFC Operation Control:

PM Modi, who visited Gujarat on March 12, 2024, visited the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) Operation Control.
Later, 10 new Vande Bharat trains were introduced from Sabarmati area of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
Along with this, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of railway projects worth Rs 85,000 crore.