CONCOR Launches Assured Transit-Time Container Train Service Between Bengaluru and Delhi

Freight revenue is the financial backbone of Indian Railways. It cross-subsidises passenger fares, which are kept artificially low. Over decades, however, rail has steadily lost freight market share to road transport. Road offers door-to-door delivery and greater scheduling flexibility, even though it costs more per tonne-kilometre and produces higher emissions. The government responded with two major policy instruments. First, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCI) was set up to build freight-only rail corridors with higher speeds, heavier axle loads, and longer trains. Second, the National Logistics Policy (NLP) was announced with the goal of reducing India's logistics costs from roughly 13–14% of GDP to under 8%, closer to global benchmarks. High logistics costs directly reduce the competitiveness of Indian exports and manufactured goods.

Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, operates Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and container train services across India. ICDs serve as dry ports: they allow importers and exporters to clear customs away from seaports, reducing congestion at ports and enabling industries in inland locations to access containerised logistics. CONCOR's network of ICDs and container trains is central to India's multimodal freight ecosystem.