Indian Railways to develop dedicated corridors for cement Sector

Indian Railways is planning to develop dedicated corridors to meet the requirements of the cement sector, particularly in areas with a high concentration of factories and raw materials such as clinker, limestone, and fly ash. Cement and its raw materials have the third-highest share in the total freight carried by the railways. As a result, the national transporter is working on cement corridors in various parts of the country, keeping in mind the existing factories and upcoming plants in the next decade.

The railways will lay additional lines where there is a need to increase traffic carrying capacity and will also lay new lines where there is no existing link. The national transporter is adopting a corridor approach to increase cargo movement by rail, which is essential for its financial health. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said that the corridor approach would be used for infrastructure growth, including energy corridors, separate corridors for hilly areas, Janjatiya Gaurav Corridor, and cement corridors. The railway has been focusing on attracting cargo from the road sector by offering better services with an attractive priceline.