JOIN USThe Krishnapatnam Port Container Terminal (KPCT), in association with Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), on Thursday announced the launch of the Bengaluru-KPCT Train Service, which will commence from June 19.
The train service will ply between Whitefield Depot (WFD) in Bengaluru and the port directly, and is aimed at catering to the needs of businesses in and around Bengaluru, primarily heavy cargoes such as granite, gherkins, coffee and machinery, among others, which face regulatory issues due to weight restrictions on road transport.
According to KPCT Executive Director Sriram Ravi Chander, the train, which will depart WFD every Friday evening, will enable traders to complete custom-related documentation during five days of the week and use the weekend to get the goods transported from Bengaluru and loaded onto the ships.
The train will return on Sundays from the port carrying imported goods and deliver them by Monday at Bengaluru. The service has a maximum carrying capacity of 90 containers, each way, and will reduce transportation time from 24-48 hours taken on the road, to just 18 hours.
“The train service will help customers save between $100 million and $150 million per cargo container and also eliminate the chances of pilferage which has been a major issue for businesses,” Chander said.
Unlike road transport, which involves multiple examinations even after taking prior customs clearance of the containers, the train can directly enter the port without any further examination, benefitting customers.