#Railways launch RO-RO service to attract more loadings

New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) Railways today launched a new service ‘Ro-Ro’ to carry loaded trucks on goods train in a bid to attract more loadings and reduce carbon emission.

Roll-on Roll-off (RO-RO) service was launched across the Digha rail bridge between Bihta and Turki stations in Bihar.

“This is an important beginning as it has been promised in the budget. Our loadings are expected to increase and it will curb emission also,” Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said here after launching the Ro-Ro service.

Recently, Digha rail bridge over the Ganga river near Patna has been commissioned. After consultation with the truck operators, who are transporting sand in truck from North Bihar to South Bihar through road bridges like Mahatma Gandhi Setu, Vikramshila Setu, it has been decided to operate RO-RO service across Digha Bridge.

Seeking a positive response from industry, Prabhu said, “We are walking extra mile and we expect industry to reciprocate by giving us more freight.”

Under the scheme, loaded trucks would be moved on the flat rakes to avoid congestion on roads across Ganges. To start with, this service is being introduced from Bihta to Turki station in Muzaffarpur district covering a distance of 88 kms.

In a rake, approximately 44 loaded/ empty trucks will be moved. A rake will perform 3 trips per day.

“We want to get back the freight we lost to roads,” Prabhu added.

Besides sand, stones can also be transported using the RO-RO service. Railways will extend the service to to cover more commodities and destinations in future.

In order to have effective communication and redressal of issues pertaining to freight customers, railways nominated Key Customer Managers for 10 major freight commodities.

Key Customer Managers were nominated for coal, iron ore, raw material for steel plants, steel, foodgrain, fertiliser, cement, POL, container and other commodities.