NCRTC plans to provide public-cum-logistics transport services on RRTS

New Delhi (Urban Transport News): With the aims to curb pollution and congestion situation in Delhi-NCR, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) hold a consultation meeting with various logistics organizations on September 17, 2019, in New Delhi to deliberate on the 'Provision of Logistics Services through RRTS corridors in NCR'.

After getting feedback from the various logistics service providers, NCRTC is planning to explore cargo/logistics services through RRTS trains during the non-peak and lean hours. This will help to reduce the usage of trucks and heavy carriage vehicles for commercial activities in NCR. Addressing the industry representatives, Vinay Kumar Singh, Managing Director of NCRTC said,

India is poised to become a $5 trillion economy, in which NCR alone would contribute $1 trillion. RRTS is a mainline high-speed mobility system in NCR, which is primarily being implemented for commuter movement. Options are being explored to utilize its capacity during the lean period for freight movement. Apart from its numerous benefits as a green corridor, it would act as a catalyst for economic growth.

As a large number of commercial and private vehicles enter through the NCR in Delhi on a daily basis and emit pollution into the environment. The Delhi Government is also planning to re-launch the "odd-even scheme' again to reduce the pollution in the national capital. In view of the above, "the NCRTC considers that RRTS train services may act as the preferred mode for the industry by meeting their logistics transportation need", added an NCRTC official after the meet.

The RRTS services can help in handling goods at its depots and will also provide high-speed transport facility with the assurance of no pilferages, availability of the cold-chain system, seamless storage, and integration with first and last-mile connectivity, which will be a promising proposition for the logistics industry.

Besides, logistics services through RRTS would be an excellent option especially for transporting time-sensitive commodities which also face issues related to inadequate availability of cold-chain infrastructure. Given its network, the system has strong potential to also become a preferred partner for e-commerce logistics.

The construction of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor is in full swing and the first section between Sahibabad and Duhai is expected to be commissioned by 2023.