The Central Railway has commenced loading cars from the Igatpuri goods shed in Nashik district, which falls under the Mumbai division, using the specially designed New Modified Goods (NMG) rake. This double-deck system enables efficient transportation of vehicles.
High demand for car transport
Railway authorities highlighted that the demand for transporting cars manufactured in Nashik to various destinations across the country is substantial. To address this, the railway has added another goods shed in the Nashik region. A senior railway officer stated, "We have a fixed quota of NMG rakes for every division. The Bhusaval division quota is exhausted, so we established the Igatpuri goods shed in Mumbai division. The first rake of 25 NMG wagons was loaded with 100 cars, destined for Nautanwa Goods Terminal in North Eastern Railway."
Quota and logistics
Nashik and Deolali, both in Bhusawal division, receive 18 rakes each month under the established quota. A logistics officer noted, "The railway is not only cheaper for transporting vehicles but also ensures timely and safe delivery. The rakes take a maximum of 48 hours to reach any destination nationwide, unlike road transport, which is costlier, unsafe, and prone to delays. We are in talks with Railways to increase the number of rakes."
Challenges and future plans
Railway officials acknowledged the high demand but cited a shortage of rakes. "NMG rakes are being modified from old coaches, which are being replaced by Linke Hofmann Busch (LHG) coaches. The process of increasing rakes is ongoing, but due to high demand, it is time-consuming. We hope the situation improves this year." The first rake to Nautanwa is expected to generate approximately Rs 17.16 lakh in revenue.
