Hyderabad: South Central Railway, one of the major freight loading Zones on Indian Railways added two more Goods Terminals by commencing operations at Green – field Private Freight Terminals (PFT) during the month of May, 2020, though the entire nation is under unprecedented lockdown due to outbreak of pandemic COVID-19.
The two Private Freight Terminals (PFTs), M/s Lakshminarasimha Infra Pvt Ltd at Nagireddypalli Railway Station of Yadadri Bhongir District, Telangana was commissioned on 08.05.2020 and Lakshmi Venkateshwara Warehousing & PFT Pvt. Ltd at Kaukuntla Railway Station of Mahbubnagar District, Telangana started its operation on 25.05.202.
During the current lockdown period, Indian Railways uninterruptedly operating freight and parcel services to ensure supply of essential commodities across the nation. To fulfill this Endeavour, South Central Railway (SCR) is continuously running both freight and parcel trains with particular focus on essential commodities like food grains, milk & milk products, fruits, fish, eggs and other perishable items by introducing innovative concepts like Dhood Duronto specials , Jai Kisan freight trains etc.
By taking the advantage of less traffic on the tracks due to the lockdown , the Zone has expedited the works related to commencement of operations of these new PFTs to enhance the freight loading basket of SCR.
Ms Lakshmi Narasimha Infra Pvt Ltd at Nagireddypalli Railway Station of Yadadri Bhongir District, Telangana was commissioned on 08.05.2020 by despatching the first freight train loaded with boiled rice of 2.400 tonnes to Arakkonam junction in Tamilnadu. The traffic offered for transporting from these goods PFT was earlier moved by road from various warehouses located in surrounding areas of this Station. This PFT will serve the customers hailing from Yadadri Bhongir, Jangaon and Nalgonda districts for transportation of food grains by Rail.
Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Warehousing & PFT Pvt. Ltd at Kaukuntla Railway Station of Mahbubnagar District, Telangana has started its operations on 25th May 2020. The first freight train was loaded with boiled rice of 2400 tonnes was dispatched from this terminal to Erode station in Tamilnadu.
The warehouse with a capacity 1.3 lakh metric tons established inside the PFT was taken over by Food Corporation of India for a period of 3 years for preserving and transportation of food grains by rail to different parts in the Southern States as well as Northern parts of the country.
This PFT will serve as nearest Rail head for the districts of Mahbubnagar, Wanaparthy. Jogulamba Gadwal, Nagar Kurnool for transportation of food grains and other essential commodities by Rail.
Gajanan Mallya General Manager, South Central Railway expressed his happiness in bringing two new PFTs into operation and appreciated the Officers and staff for their efforts in making this a reality in the prevailing tough time.
He also opined that these two new PFTS in Telangana will immensely help in transportation of food grains by Rail to different parts of the country and assists in enhancing freight loading of the Zone.