Vijayawada Railway Division starts loading of first fly ash rakes

Vijayawada: The Vijayawada Railway division on Tuesday started loading of first flyash rakes from Padugupadu goods shed (near Nellore) to Cochin Harbour Terminus, Kerala. Fly ash is an input used by the cement companies for manufacturing PCC (Portland Cement Concrete).

Usually fly ash is transported through covered wagons in loose condition. Due to constant dialogue and negotiations by the commercial team at field level, the party has agreed to load the fly ash packed in jumbo bags of standard dimensions which carry a load of 2.45 tonnes each on BRN wagon (flat rake). Nouka Build Solutions private limited based out in Nellore has commenced loading of first fly ash rake from Vijayawada railway division. Also, this is environment-friendly way of transportation and enables optimum utilisation of available rakes across the division. As many as 42 BRN (flat) wagons were loaded on Tuesday with a tonnage of 2627 tonnes fetching freight of Rs 17 lakh approximately.

The newly-formed business development Unit (BDU) of Vijayawada Division has been making continuous efforts in expanding the railway freight basket of the division. The team has been holding regular meetings to make the freight customers aware of the benefits of transporting by Railways. The customers are also being briefed about the regular policy initiatives being taken at the Board level for their benefit.

In this direction, in August 2020, the Railway Board had introduced a policy rebate of 40 per cent concession on the normal tariff rates (NTR), for freight customers who load fly ash either in bagged or in loose/bulk condition through open wagons. The BDU of Vijayawada division acted accordingly in making the freight customers aware of the benefits by transporting their material by Railways.

Now, these continuous efforts have resulted in the loading of the first fly ash rake availing tariff rebate under the policy concessions through Railways from this plant.

P Srinivas, Divisional Railway Manger, Vijayawada Division complimented P Bhaskar Reddy, Sr Divisional Commercial Manager and commercial team of Vijayawada Division for initiating this new stream of traffic for the Railways. He advised the BDU units at field and Divisional level to continue their efforts towards taping new areas of freight business for the Railways.