Aiming to slash the high cost of logistics in India—a longstanding hurdle for exporters and manufacturers—the Ministry of Railways unveiled a comprehensive new logistics policy. The policy has a dual focus: maximizing the use of dedicated freight corridors (DFCs) and leveraging Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to modernize infrastructure.
The policy mandates the prioritization of freight trains on the newly operational eastern and western DFCs, ensuring faster and more reliable movement of goods across the country. Furthermore, it invites private investment for developing multi-modal logistics parks, warehousing solutions, and last-mile connectivity projects at railway hubs. As reported by The Economic Times, this initiative is expected to reduce freight costs by up to 15%, improve the turnaround time for goods, and significantly decongest the existing railway network by separating passenger and freight streams. This efficiency gain is poised to make Indian exports more competitive globally and boost domestic manufacturing.