Freight revenue from the Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals (GCTs) of Indian Railways has risen fourfold between 2022–23 and 2024–25 to Rs 12,608 crore, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.
Indian Railways has approved 306 GCTs with a combined capacity of 192 million tonnes per annum. Of these, officials have already commissioned 118 terminals and mobilised around Rs 8,600 crore in private investment under the GCT Policy.
A total of 2,672 million tonnes of freight has shifted from road to rail since 2014, driven largely by the development of GCTs.
This transition has helped bring India’s logistics cost down to 7.97 per cent of GDP.
The expansion of rail freight operations has also resulted in savings of 143.3 million tonnes of CO2, contributing to India’s efforts to combat climate change, the statement said.
The reduction in logistics costs reflects the success of sustained reforms and integrated planning, positioning India closer to global benchmarks.
Coordinated infrastructure development and digital integration are reshaping the logistics ecosystem, making it more efficient, competitive and future-ready, it added.
At the centre of this transformation is the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which integrates railways, highways, ports and airports into a unified framework.
The plan, however, enables seamless multimodal connectivity, strengthens industry competitiveness, supports Ease of Doing Business and Make in India initiatives, and promotes balanced regional growth.
GCTs are a key pillar of this vision, enhancing India’s role as a global trade hub.
Role of Cargo Terminals
A railway cargo terminal facilitates the loading, unloading and transfer of goods between trains and other transport modes.
Earlier, the absence of integrated multimodal hubs led to delays, higher costs and congestion. GCTs, developed under the GCT Policy, 2021, address these gaps.
The terminals use ‘engine-on-load’ systems to minimise detention and deploy mechanised loading facilities and silos to reduce handling time.
The objective is to increase the rail’s share in freight movement by offering faster, reliable and energy-efficient logistics services, the statement said.
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