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Ro-Ro Freight Service

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Ro Ro Freight Service

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA

QUESTION NO 2679

ANSWERED ON 24.03.2025

Ro Ro freight service

2679 Shri Dilip Kumar Tirkey

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to satate :-

(a) whether the recently introduced Ro-Ro freight service by Railways is intended only for Delhi or it will be extended to other metro cities as well; and

(b) if so, by when this will be implemented, if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) and (b): Roll-on-Roll-off (RO-RO) service was initially introduced on Konkan Railway during the year 1999. Since then, the service is running on Konkan Railway on Diesel route. On electrified routes, there are operational constraints for running of Ro-Ro service due to Over Head Equipment (OHE). However, during the recent past, trial run of Roll-on-Roll-off (Ro-Ro) Service has been carried out on following routes:-
(i) Across the Ganga River in Bihar between Bihta and Turki over East Central Railway;
(ii) Between Bhanga and Churaibari in Northeast Frontier Railway for carriage of loaded/empty petrol tankers;
(iii) Between Nagothane and Boisar;
(iv) Between Garhi Harsaru to Muradnagar.
Roll-on-Roll-off (Ro-Ro) Service can be tried out on other routes also subject to demand and operational feasibility.

The Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) Freight Service is a specialized freight service introduced by Indian Railways to enhance logistics efficiency and reduce environmental impact. It allows loaded trucks and vehicles to be directly driven onto railway flat wagons for transportation over long distances.

🚛🚆 What is Ro-Ro Freight Service?

Ro-Ro stands for Roll-on/Roll-off, a system where road vehicles (mostly trucks) are driven onto railway wagons at the origin terminal and rolled off at the destination.

It combines the flexibility of road transport with the long-distance efficiency of railways, reducing road congestion and emissions.

🛠️ Key Features

Feature Details
Started By Indian Railways (First started in 1999 by Konkan Railway)
Primary Use Transport of loaded trucks (mostly goods and industrial cargo)
Wagons Used Modified low-bed wagons to carry trucks
Routes Selected high-volume freight corridors (e.g., Konkan Railway, ECR, NFR)
Operating Zones Konkan Railway, Eastern Railway, East Central, and Northeast Frontier zones

🎯 Benefits of Ro-Ro Services

Benefit Explanation
Fuel Savings Trucks avoid long hauls, saving diesel
Reduced Road Congestion Fewer trucks on highways, easing traffic
Lower Emissions Reduces carbon footprint significantly
No Toll Charges Operators save on highway tolls
Time Efficiency Faster delivery over long distances (no traffic jams or check-post delays)
Less Road Wear & Tear Preserves road infrastructure

đź“Ť Popular Ro-Ro Corridors

Route Zone
Nashik → New Delhi Central/Northern Zone
Suratkal → Verna Konkan Railway
Boisar → Rewari Western/Northern Zone
Muradnagar → Dankuni Eastern Zone
New Guwahati → Murkongselek Northeast Frontier

These are mostly used for coal, cement, iron & steel, and FMCG logistics.

📦 Who Uses Ro-Ro?

  • Logistics Companies
  • Coal/Cement/Steel manufacturers
  • E-commerce & FMCG businesses
  • Highway truck operators seeking to save on fuel and time

đź“‹ Booking & Charges

  • Booking is typically done via the concerned Zonal Railway’s freight office.
  • Charges depend on:
    • Distance
    • Weight of loaded truck
    • Wagon utilization
  • Group bookings (multiple trucks) often receive rebates.

🆕 Recent Developments

  • Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) are being optimized to support Ro-Ro and containerized services.
  • Railways is considering expanding Ro-Ro service to Delhi–Mumbai, Punjab–Bengal, and Haryana–Gujarat corridors.
  • Zero booking time models are being piloted to allow truckers to book on the spot.

Would you like help with booking procedures, freight charges, or the list of active terminals for Ro-Ro in your region?

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