CARGOCONNECT-AUGUST 2025 - Flipbook - Page 32
COVER STORY : NEW URBAN EQUATION
and environmental impact. “At WAI, we’ve submitted
concept papers to governments like Delhi and Karnataka, proposing the idea of common-user ful昀椀lment
centres in central business districts. These shared
hubs could be used by multiple platforms—Zomato,
Blinkit, Amazon, Meesho, and others—operated by
neutral third parties.” Such models could ease urban
congestion, reduce delivery overlap,
and improve last-mile logistics, all
while keeping the consumer-facing
Next-generation logistics brand experience intact.
He also draws attention to the
parks are designed for high- compliance
and infrastructural gaps
velocity, scalable operations plaguing many current ful昀椀lment
with features like cold setups. “Most don’t have proper loaddocks or ramps, which leads to
storage, automation, and ing
trucks blocking roads during loading
multimodal connectivity. and unloading—causing disruption
These purpose-built and tra昀케c snarls,” Bhalla notes. His
reinforces Narayan’s earlier
facilities support quick point
call for improved ful昀椀lment design,
commerce’s rapid growth, especially in congested cities.
On a national level, Bhalla
enable faster go-to-market,
aligns these logistics strategies
and reduce environmental with India’s multimodal logistics
impact—redefining how vision, noting the government’s
cities grow and how goods push for logistics parks in rural
semi-urban regions with road,
move within them. and
rail, and even seaway access. Yet,
the success of such initiatives, he
argues, depends on industry commitment. “If someone is going to invest ₹30 crore to
build a 100,000 sq ft Grade-A warehouse... they need
assurance of utilisation and ROI.”
To that end, Bhalla strongly encourages multi-user
logistics models as the way forward. “The era of having
separate warehouses, separate distribution channels,
and exclusive 3PL setups is behind us,” he states. In an
environment where cost-to-serve and investor pres32 | CARGOCONNECT AUGUST 2025
sure are high, pooled infrastructure and collaborative
warehousing models o昀昀er a more sustainable path to
pro昀椀tability. “The only way forward is collaboration—
whether it’s shared warehousing, joint infrastructure,
or pooled delivery services,” he concludes.
Simply put, inventory management is no longer
a backend concern—it is a frontline strategic priority.
For Q-com to scale e昀昀ectively, investments must move
beyond front-end UX and focus on building the physical
and digital layers of a responsive, intelligent supply
chain—one that balances speed, e昀케ciency, collaboration,
and sustainability.
STRATEGIC FULFILMENT:
CUTTING COSTS THROUGH
SMARTER PLACEMENT
As Q-com grows increasingly time-sensitive and marginconscious, the placement of ful昀椀lment centres is becoming
one of its most critical cost levers. The proximity of
ful昀椀lment infrastructure to end consumers directly
a昀昀ects transportation costs, rider productivity, and
delivery reliability—making location a strategic rather
than operational choice.
Narayan notes that proximity plays a signi昀椀cant
role in delivery efficiency. “Proximity reduces both
travel time and fuel costs, enabling more deliveries
per rider per day,” he explains, and went on to add,
“Well-placed ful昀椀lment centres act as local inventory
bu昀昀ers, capable of absorbing demand spikes during
peak hours or festive seasons. This allows for faster
stock replenishment and smarter dispatch routing. The
outcome is not only a faster response time to customer
orders but also fewer returns, which are a key cost
component in Q-com operations.”
Narayan also highlights that decentralised ful昀椀lment
hubs—those located just outside urban cores—often
come with lower land and utility costs, offering a
cost-e昀케cient alternative without compromising service
quality.
