Rlys launches first assured transit time container train

In a landmark step for freight transport, Indian Railways and the Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR) on Wednesday rolled out the country’s first Assured Transit Time container train service, promising guaranteed delivery within a fixed timeframe.

Launched on a pilot basis, the service will run between the Inland Container Depot at Tughlakabad in Delhi and CTCS Kolkata via Agra and Kanpur. The container train, designed to complete the journey in 120 hours, will operate twice a week — every Wednesday and Saturday.

Railway officials said the model would function on a hub-and-spoke system, with goods consolidated at Agra and Kanpur for onward movement. To make the service more attractive, haulage charges have been waived for empty wagons travelling from Tughlakabad to Kanpur.

Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railways, said the assured delivery mechanism would offer customers a faster and more reliable alternative to road transport, improve connectivity in northern India and give early adopters a clear edge.

“The project will also promote green logistics by shifting freight from road to rail, thereby reducing carbon footprint. It will set a new direction for the logistics sector and make India’s supply chain more efficient, modern and sustainable,” he said.

Officials said the assured transit trains are expected to be a gamechanger for farmers, traders and industries by ensuring time-bound delivery of cargo. Critical consignments such as fresh produce, medicines and export-oriented goods will now be able to reach markets safely and quickly.

The service is also expected to reduce transportation costs, decongest highways, bypass weather-related disruptions and link rural and semi-urban areas with bigger markets. For farmers and small traders, officials said, this could mean better price realisation and more stable access to markets.