CARGOCONNECT-APRIL2026 - Flipbook - Page 26
Inconsistent road
quality and urban
congestion increase
transit variability,
limited availability
of Grade A warehousing near major
metros constrains
scalability, and weak
rail and multimodal
connectivity restrict
cost-effective
long-haul movement while uneven
adoption of digital
infrastructure across
logistics partners
reduces network
visibility and limits
dynamic inventory
and transport
optimisation.
ASHUTOSH
SRIVASTAVA
HEAD OF BREWERY
LOGISTICS, AB INBEV
“even if highways are strong, the 昀椀nal 20–50
km to industrial clusters, SEZs, and renewable
energy sites often have narrow village roads,
weak culverts, and height-restricted bridges,”
adding that this results in “route deviations,
additional axles, and delayed commissioning of
projects,” making routing “constraint-driven
rather than cost-driven.”
Multimodal integration gaps continue
to reinforce dependence on road transport
across long-haul industrial freight flows.
Sharad explains that “although rail capacity
is improving, ODC rail approvals are slow,
heavy-duty terminals inland remain limited,
and synchronisation between rail arrival
and yard readiness is poor,” meaning that
“without seamless rail-road-port integration,
we over-rely on road transport.”
Infrastructure readiness gaps are also
visible in the limited availability of specialised
heavy-duty logistics parks capable of supporting
ultra-heavy cargo movement. Sharad notes,
“India has many warehouses — but very few
designed for 300+ MT transformers, 70m
wind blades, and large reactors,” resulting
in continued dependence on “ad-hoc yards
instead of using standardised infrastructure.”
Digital permit fragmentation further
constrains predictive route planning across the
heavy-haul logistics ecosystem. Sharad explains,
“ODC permits remain state-fragmented, there
is no single national routing clearance engine,
and there is no real-time bridge load database,
which limits predictive route planning and
increases risk bu昀昀ers.”
Beyond surface transport networks,
regional airport integration is emerging as a
major opportunity for strengthening distributed
cargo connectivity across India’s expanding
consumption landscape. Edward explains,
“Regional airports can signi昀椀cantly accelerate
MSME growth, especially as tier III and IV cities
increasingly drive India’s new online shopper
base and e-commerce volumes.” He notes
that their potential remains constrained by
“inadequate cargo infrastructure, dependence
on limited belly-hold capacity, and slow cargo
clearance processes.”
The Unified Logistics
Interface Platform (ULIP)
integrates multi-departmental
data silos.
26 | CARGOCONNECT APRIL 2026
FASTag data now crossverifies E-Way bills to reduce
manual checks.
Strengthening these airports with cargofocussed infrastructure can directly in昀氀uence
transit-time predictability across distributed
manufacturing ecosystems. Edward emphasises, “Strengthening these airports with
dedicated cargo terminals, improved freighter
connectivity, and digitised customs systems
can substantially reduce logistics time and
costs for MSMEs,” while initiatives such as
“multi-stop and double-dip operations to
consolidate cargo from multiple airports and
improve load factors for freighters” can further
enhance network integration.
Temperature-controlled cargo infrastructure also requires additional strengthening
across multimodal logistics networks. Shah
explains, “Infrastructure and handling capability for all time- and temperature-sensitive
shipments need attention,” while also noting
that “statutory changes in Customs handling
especially regarding the opening and examination of sensitive cargo must be developed.”
In line with Shah’s assessment while
adding a technology-led perspective, Patodi
notes that temperature-sensitive logistics
segments are witnessing a transformation
through connected monitoring infrastructure.
“For pharmaceuticals and perishable cargo,
safety and compliance increasingly depend
on active temperature monitoring through
IoT-enabled sensors, where any 昀氀uctuation
automatically alerts the nearest service hub
to prevent spoilage and protect shipment
integrity,” he explains.
Importantly, Patodi emphasises that the
ongoing transitions re昀氀ects a broader structural
repositioning of logistics within enterprise
strategy itself. Logistics, as he observes, is
no longer viewed purely as a cost centre, but
is emerging as a value centre—strengthening
product availability and acting as a visible
brand di昀昀erentiator.”
Extending his perspectives, Shah adds
that “strengthening trucking ecosystems
and warehousing infrastructure remains
central to enabling more predictable nationwide
cargo movement. He further notes that “the
manufacturing of small and large trucks
and warehouses needs government funding
