The South Central Railway’s Secunderabad division will be starting a new cargo terminal called the Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT) at Gad-chandur station in Maharashtra. The terminal will be built entirely on railway land and will cost Rs 15.2 crore. It is part of the Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals policy introduced by the Indian Railways to boost investment from the industry in developing additional terminals for handling rail cargo. The goal is to make transportation by rail safer and more secure.
The GCT will involve laying additional lines, concreting surfaces, providing electronic weigh bridges, restrooms, covered sheds, approach roads, water supply arrangements, and computerized working, such as the Freight Operations Information System (FOIS) and Track Management System (TMS). The contract period is 35 years, and the maintenance of GCT will be by Dalmia Cement Bharat Limited/Chandrapur for the stated period. The maintenance and operations of assets like tracks, signals and telecoms, overhead equipment, and staff costs will be borne by the Railways.
According to Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager of SCR, cement companies located around Gadchendur and Chandrapur area will benefit from this move as transportation by rail will be safer, easier, and the most comfortable option.
