To ensure an uninterrupted and seamless supply chain of goods and essential commodities in the wake of COVID-19, the Indian Railways is offering its services of parcel trains for nationwide transportation of essential commodities and other goods.
Railway parcel vans have been made available for quick mass transportation across the nation for the e-commerce entities in need and even for state governments to transport such goods. Notably, the transportation of essential items like medical supplies, medical equipment, food, etc in small parcel sizes is going to be very important during the lockdown in the wake of COVID19.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has already removed the restrictions on the movement of goods and commodities in the country during the lockdown period.
The Central Railway, which has its headquarters in Mumbai, will run the special parcel trains on the following routes:
1. Kalyan - New Delhi
2. Nashik - New Delhi
3. Kalyan - Santraghachi
4. Kalyan - Guwahati
In addition to this, the Northern Railway will also run its parcel trains from New Delhi to Mumbai.
The different zones of the Indian Railways are working out their own plans for running these parcel trains.
The provision of parcel trains and the rapid transportation of goods is expected to further bolster the efficiency of supply chains as well as help in the movement of small quantities and essential items such as dairy products, medical equipment, and medicines, groceries, edible oil, etc.
Notably, the Indian Railways is already transporting essential commodities to different parts of the country through freight trains. While these freight operations of Railways are meeting the needs of bulk transportation of essential goods like food grains, edible oil, salt, sugar, coal, cement, milk, vegetables & fruits, etc, there are various items that need to be delivered in comparatively smaller quantities.
The provision of these parcel trains is important because, after flights, railways remain the fastest mode of interstate transportation for such goods.
