CARGOCONNECT-APRIL2025 - Flipbook - Page 27
GREEN LOGISTICS : COVER STORY
Future Corridors and Financial Viability
DFCCIL is also exploring future corridors, including
the east coast (Kharagpur to Vijayawada), east-west
(Kharagpur to Palghar), and north-south (Itarsi to
Vijayawada) routes. “Detailed surveys are complete,
and reports have been submitted to the ministry for
consideration,” Kumar enlightens.
Highlighting DFCCIL’s 昀椀nancial success, Kumar
informs, “Our two corridors cost `1.24 lakh crore, with
a 昀椀nancial rate of return of 9%. Beyond pro昀椀tability,
DFCs reduce carbon emissions, lower accidents, and
improve supply chain e昀케ciency.”
Challenges along the Way
Despite visible progress, India faces a myriad of challenges. The market share of EVs in passenger vehicles
remains a mere 2%, re昀氀ecting hesitation from consumers
deterred by insu昀케cient charging infrastructure, battery
longevity issues, and high upfront costs. Public transport
services—despite their increasing electri昀椀cation—often
encounter procurement delays, operational ine昀케ciencies,
and inadequate maintenance regimes. Regulatory clarity,
or the lack thereof, compounds these challenges, with
fragmented standards creating inconsistencies across states.
Swaminathan underscores the challenges India faces
in developing resilient, sustainable transport infrastructure, emphasising the need for targeted investments
and strategic collaboration. “India’s diverse geography
and climate demand robust infrastructure solutions
supported by increased research and development,
expansion of multi-modal transport routes, digitalisation,
and skill enhancement. Collaborative e昀昀orts among
government agencies, private players, and civil society
will drive cohesive progress in sustainable mobility.”
He highlights Mahindra Logistics’ contribution
to green mobility through its innovative eDeL green
logistics ecosystem. “eDeL, our sustainable solution for
last-mile delivery, has evolved to include solar-powered
warehousing, a 昀氀eet of EVs across categories, and our
pioneering eDeL-EAR (Emissions Analytics Report).
This tool empowers our customers to analyse and
reduce their carbon emissions, aligning with their
decarbonisation goals. By fostering innovation and
inclusivity, we aim to create resilient infrastructure
and support India’s journey toward greener mobility.”
Conclusion
As we witness the growing momentum in EV adoption, driven by supportive policies and private sector
innovation, it becomes evident that collaboration between
stakeholders is essential to sustain this transformation. The
strides made in expanding infrastructure and enhancing
multimodal connectivity are already underscore the
nation's commitment to building a sustainable transport
ecosystem.
Yet, the success of green logistics depends on continued
investments in infrastructure, technology, and research.
Equally critical is cultivating a culture of sustainability,
where every sector, from logistics to air cargo handling,
embraces eco-friendly practices. With its bold vision,
India is on track to set a global benchmark for creating a
transport system that is green, e昀케cient, and inclusive.
DHRUV TANEJA
Founder and CEO,
MatchLog Solutions
The Union Budget 2025 takes
necessary steps toward
strengthening India’s logistics and maritime sectors.
Expanding shipbuilding capacity and setting up
a `25,000 crore Maritime Development Fund are
important, but without solving inefficiencies in
container movement, intermodal logistics, and supply
chain integration, infrastructure growth alone won’t
drive meaningful progress. Reducing empty miles,
improving cargo transitions, and integrating digital
freight solutions must be a priority to make these
investments effective.
PRAVEEN KUMAR
Managing Director,
Dedicated Freight Corridor
Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL)
DFC’s double-stack capacity
and long-haul capabilities
make it far more efficient.
Our JNPT yard is designed for long-haul operations,
and we expect train numbers to rise from 417 to
430-440 daily The fundamental idea is to reduce
India’s logistics costs, which are high due to road
dependence. By encouraging multimodal logistics
through policies like GatiShakti, we aim to attract
big vendors to shift from road to rail. Railways
currently handle 26% of freight, compared to 45%
by roads. Despite being just 4% of Indian Railways’
network, DFCs carry 13-14% of total rail freight.
CARGOCONNECT APRIL 2025 | 27
